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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26115556">underneath the skin (there’s a human)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Dead_Guy/pseuds/Some_Dead_Guy'>Some_Dead_Guy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Fluff, Fanged Kakashi, Fix-It, Fluff, Gen, Hatake Kakashi-centric, Hurt/Comfort, I have so many Kakashi feels that I had to put it in a fic, Kakashi Feels, Kakashi Gaiden, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Team as Family, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:28:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>39,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26115556</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Dead_Guy/pseuds/Some_Dead_Guy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He was dead, just a few minutes ago. He was trapped, his arms were crushed, and he was dead. But now he’s blinking up at a strangely familiar ceiling in a strangely familiar bed and feeling—smaller.</p><p>He’s twelve again. He’s twelve when he’s supposed to be dead.</p><p>Or, Kakashi is thrown back into his twelve-year old body and has to try and keep all of his friends from dying.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi &amp; Kakashi's Ninken, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Namikaze Minato, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Nohara Rin, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Nohara Rin &amp; Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Uzumaki Kushina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>577</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1975</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I know everyone and their mother has written a Naruto Time Travel Fix-it but I just h a v e to write one of my own so. Here it is, I guess.</p><p>Not beta-read, and I apologize for any and all mistakes!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Kakashi opens his eyes, his first thought is </span>
  <em>
    <span>they shouldn’t even be opening again at all.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was dead, just a few minutes ago. He was trapped, his arms were crushed, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He saw his father, that fire glowing in pitch blackness, and he remembers talking with him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he was dead, just like Sakumo and Obito and Rin and Minato and Kushina and some part of him had thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But now he’s blinking up at a strangely familiar ceiling in a strangely familiar bed and feeling—</span>
  <em>
    <span>smaller.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels like he’s lost both weight and height, his limbs feeling shorter than they were just moments ago. He looks to the side and he sees his dresser—a dresser he hasn’t owned since he was twelve years old. He brings his hand up to his face and it looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>tiny </span>
  </em>
  <span>compared to the size that it’s supposed to be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s twelve again. He’s twelve when he’s supposed to be dead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He takes in a deep breath, not allowing himself to panic. He takes in his surroundings to stave off the coldness he can already feel seeping into his bones, the frenzied anxiety that tightens painfully in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everything’s the same as he remembers it, from the curtains to the furniture to every chip in the wall and every crack in the ceiling. He sits up, and he can tell he still has his Sharingan, because his left eye is </span>
  <em>
    <span>burning, </span>
  </em>
  <span>expending chakra he doesn’t have to spare. He closes it, and while it abates the sting it doesn’t leave completely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he tries to stand his legs shake violently, wobbly like they’re barely able to take his weight. He tries not to, but he falls right back down onto his bed as soon as he tries to stand. He’s exhausted and everything </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts</span>
  </em>
  <span>, aches and burns. He takes another steadying breath, and tries again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s able to get up this time, even if it hurts like hell. He makes it to the bathroom, only stumbling into the wall once before he finds the bathroom door, fumbling with the handle before he’s eventually able to get it open. He feels sluggish, his limbs slow and pulsing with pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks in the mirror and confirms that </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’s his twelve year old face staring back at him, and although his skin looks clammy and he can’t open his left eye, it’s still the same as it was back then. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It must be a genjutsu</span>
  </em>
  <span>, is his first thought. And an incredibly strong one, at that. It doesn’t release when he shouts </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kai </span>
  </em>
  <span>and makes the hand motion, but he’s not particularly surprised. Nothing would ever be that simple for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is real, somehow. He’s twelve again and somehow it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>real.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t have time to even think about what to do next before there’s someone knocking at the front door of his apartment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, are you alright in there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s Minato-Sensei’s voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato-sensei who’s been dead for about a decade and a half now. It hits him then, that everyone who’s dead is alive </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His whole team is still alive right now, which means Obito is out there somewhere and so is Rin and Kushina and they’re—</span>
  <em>
    <span>they’re alive.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi heart ratchets up into his throat and he forces it down, breathes in and out slowly. He feels like he’s drowning, and the surface is nowhere in sight, water filling his lungs and stinging his eyes. He doesn’t know what he would do if he saw Minato’s face, or Obito’s or Rin’s or Kushina’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Probably fall apart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers clench hard over the rim of the sink, and he swallows harshly, preparing to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” He croaks out, his vocal chords feeling as if they haven’t been used in years despite his effort to inject nonchalance into his tone. He doubts Minato was even able to hear him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His suspicions are confirmed when Minato’s voice floats through the apartment again, “Kakashi?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can hear Minato-sensei turning the knob on his front door, and although it’s likely locked he knows that if the man was worried enough he’d manage to get into the apartment anyways.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can’t face him—he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not right now and he’s not sure if he’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> be ready for that. He slips out of his window without answering, concealing his chakra and letting his legs take him anywhere, as long as he’s not around any of </span>
  <em>
    <span>them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His legs are still sore, and his eye aches in angry pulses, but he ignores the pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He finds himself at the memorial stone and he isn’t shocked his feet carried him here. He looks down at the names and Obito’s isn’t there, and neither is Rin’s or Minato’s or Kushina’s. No one he knows is on the stone yet. He breathes, and it catches on it’s way in, but he calms down quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s still a shinobi, he’s been on active duty since he was five years old, he can deal with this. And if he can’t, then he’s just going to have to do it anyway. A shinobi endures, even if it means having to deal with being shot back into your twelve year old body after being killed by a man that had tried to destroy your whole village and take the bijuu out of your Sensei’s son. Not to mention half of your precious people are alive right now and you’ve spent half of your life mourning over all of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has to wonder, not for the first time, how this has become his life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he must be here for </span>
  <em>
    <span>some </span>
  </em>
  <span>reason. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks down at the stone again and is reminded by the fact that it’s missing a handful of names. Names that he can prevent from ever being put there in the first place. He can save his precious people. Can prevent them from dying the way they had, he can protect them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Kakashi breathes in this time it’s strong and steady. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He can save them,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he can save the people that mean everything to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know how long he stands there, tracing the places where their names used to be, but his legs and back begin to ache and the sun has almost set.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns his back on the stone once the moon takes its place in the sky, forming the only solid plan that he’s come up with since he’s landed here.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi is a bit of a mess.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Kakashi gets back to his apartment Minato isn’t there anymore, but his front door is broken in. He can’t stop the hiss he makes when he sees it, sucking in a breath through his teeth. Kakashi isn’t sure of the exact date, but it had to be hours since he’s landed here and he likely missed a training session.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this age, being late or missing something he was supposed to show up for, </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> training, would definitely be worrying. It’s that thought that makes Kakashi almost feel bad for ignoring Minato. Almost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pushes the door closed behind him and walks back through the apartment, glad to find that no one else is there. He can’t ignore them forever, he knows that, but that hardly means he’s ready to face any of them just yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns on the lights, unable to see in the darkness otherwise, and feels a little guilty again at the reminder that Minato still hasn’t found him since he likely started searching hours ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His first thought is to figure out the date, and he scours the apartment for a calendar. He quickly finds one stuffed in his bedside table, crushed under various rule books and novels. It’s flipped open to January, marked with red Xs a few days into the month. The Kannabi bridge incident doesn’t happen until late August, if nothing’s been changed from his timeline to this one. Which gives him over half a year to try and fix things. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not too long to plan, but Kakashi concedes that it could certainly be worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hears the thump of his front door being pushed open and hitting the wall and a voice calling, “Kakashi!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s the only warning he gets before Namikaze Minato rushes into his bedroom, his breathing slightly labored and face crumpling into what looks like relief as soon as his eyes fall over Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s heart stops and his hands clench around the calendar he’s still holding. Minato looks just like he remembers, bright blond hair and kind blue eyes, and all of Kakashi’s air is sucked right out of his lungs. Sometimes he forgets just how much Naruto looks like his father, but right now it’s all he can think about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He briefly wonders what happened to Naruto and everyone else in his timeline. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Minato takes a step forward Kakashi stumbles back on instinct, unable to stop himself. It’s somehow more </span>
  <em>
    <span>real </span>
  </em>
  <span>now, with Minato standing in front of him, solid and breathing proof of where he is. It’s like seeing a ghost, or a walking corpse, and Kakashi is suddenly hit with the idea that this is an incredibly vivid hallucination again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He never saw Minato’s dead body, and he’s glad of that, but images of those soft blue eyes losing all light to them flip unbidden through his mind).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where were you? I looked everywhere trying to find you.” Minato keeps moving forward until he’s standing right in front of him, looking as if he’s checking Kakashi over for injuries. He doesn’t seem to completely notice that Kakashi is pushing back into the side table behind him, putting as much distance between them as he can.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can’t breathe, but he forces himself to anyway, pulling in a deep, painful breath that scrapes against his throat. But when he tries to speak he can’t, and Minato must finally notice his distress because he pauses and takes a step back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He asks, giving his student space, “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s breath stutters, and the calendar in his hands finally tears with the force he’s holding it with. The sound registers somewhere in Kakashi’s mind, but mostly all he can hear is the blood rushing in his ears and all he can see is Minato with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>gaping hole in his chest—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi may have never seen the aftermath of what the Kyuubi had done to Kushina and Minato, but he had still heard of their deaths, what had happened, how they had died. And now it’s all he can </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” Minato shouts and Kakashi startles, eyes darting up to Minato’s instead of staring at his </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfectly intact </span>
  </em>
  <span>chest. Minato’s eyes are wide with worry and his hands are held out cautiously in front of him, as if he wants to reach out to comfort but doesn’t want to freak Kakashi out any further.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi throws the shredded calendar down to the floor and he reaches out without even thinking, grasping at one of Minato’s wrists. It’s solid, warm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive, </span>
  </em>
  <span>his Sensei’s pulse thrumming underneath his touch</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His fingers trail down and press into the skin of Minato’s hand, tan and calloused and still so </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you’re hurting me.” Minato says calmly, and it makes Kakashi realize how hard he’s holding Minato’s hand, nearly crushing it under his grasp, grinding Minato’s bones together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s breath shudders out in short bursts and he swallows thickly, “I’m sorry.” He whispers, jerking his hand back to himself. He doesn’t know what he’s apologizing for—</span>
  <em>
    <span>everything, </span>
  </em>
  <span>maybe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(For not protecting him and Kushina, or Rin or Obito. For not even being good enough to protect his son.)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, of course, the first thing he does when he meets someone he loves so much again is </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt them—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you need to breathe.” Minato says, cutting through Kakashi’s thoughts. Minato is breathing loudly and exaggerated, prompting Kakashi to follow his example.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi resolutely does </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>look at Minato’s chest, focuses instead on Minato’s eyes and the sound of his breath, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He calms down, eventually, and even with his mind still racing and his heart pounding a staccato beat in his chest, he can hear and breathe properly again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A hot flash of shame follows quickly behind the panic. He’s relieved his mask must be hiding the heat he can feel flooding his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay, now?” Minato asks softly, and he kneels down closer to Kakashi’s level. Kakashi remembers hating it when he did that when he was an actual child, remembers feeling like he was being treated like a small child instead of the capable Shinobi that he was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t mind it, this time, because it makes it harder for him to see Minato’s chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” He whispers, not sure if he can make his voice get any louder. He feels a renewed sort of exhaustion, the pain he was feeling earlier coming back with a vengeance. He sways on his feet, and he’s falling forward before he can catch himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He half expects to hit the floor, but instead of meeting hardwood his head ends up cushioned on Minato’s shoulder, his Sensei’s arms warm and firm when they wrap around him. It’s the closest thing he’s had to a hug in a long time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hands clutch at Minato’s sleeves, meant to be used as leverage to get back on his feet but—but he doesn’t want to let go once his fingers are closed around the cloth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sensei?” Kakashi murmurs, already feeling his consciousness leaving him, his head going fuzzy and his limbs heavy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Minato answers readily, his voice obviously thick with worry but still calm and trained like all good Shinobi’s are when put in a stressful situation. He’s still holding Kakashi close.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I missed you.” He slurs, before everything goes black.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minato worries.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Minato begins to shift nervously after he notices that Kakashi has already been late for an hour and a half now. Kakashi’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>late, he’s one of the most punctual people Minato has ever met despite being a twelve year old boy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Obito </span>
  </em>
  <span>is here already, and he looks anxious as well even if he’s trying to hide it. Rin is less reserved in her worries.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do you think he isn’t here yet?” She asks them, her wide eyes moving between her Sensei and her teammate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>“Maybe he’s finally decided he’s </span><em><span>too</span></em> <em><span>good </span></em><span>for us.” Obito grumbles, but his face looks pinched, his emotions ever evident on his expressive face.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato hums thoughtfully, and quickly comes to a decision, “I’m going to go check up on him.” He says, turning to the present members of his team with what he hopes is a reassuring smile, “You two can handle a bit of training by yourselves?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito crosses his arms and lets out a haughty, “Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin just smiles and says, “Yes, sensei.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato grins once more and is gone in a flash, deciding the best place to check first is Kakashi’s apartment. The kid lives by himself, and even though Minato can’t exactly say he </span>
  <em>
    <span>likes </span>
  </em>
  <span>that, he knows Kakashi doesn’t really have any other choice. Not after what had happened to his father.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take long for Minato to arrive at his student’s apartment, but when he arrives he immediately notices that Kakashi’s chakra feels—</span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>More vast and even more charged than usual with an undercurrent of crackling electricity. It doesn’t do anything in abating his worry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, are you alright in there?” He calls cautiously, knocking against the wood three times in quick succession.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He puts his ear to the door but he can’t hear much, something that vaguely sounds like a voice, maybe, but he can’t be sure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He repeats, placing his hand on the door knob, and listens. It’s the same for a few seconds before Kakashi’s chakra signature completely disappears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” He says, louder, and tries to turn the knob. It’s locked, and in a moment of impulsiveness and paternal-like worry, he breaks the door in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He calls, rushing through the apartment. It doesn’t take long to look through the small space, and it’s immediately evident that Kakashi isn’t here anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato runs right back out the front door, and checks the market next. He isn’t there, and neither is he at the Academy. He searches through the streets of Konoha, looking down alleyways and asking random civilians and Shinobi if they’ve seen his student. They haven’t.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He even checks the old Hatake compound, as unlikely as it is for Kakashi to be there, and still doesn't see a single hide nor hair of his young student.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s willing to admit that he’s beginning to panic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe if it was anyone else he wouldn’t be so quick to freak out, but this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And ever since Minato has met the kid he’s followed every Shinobi rule to the very last letter, strict with himself and everyone else who so much as vaguely breaks a rule. He even gets onto </span>
  <em>
    <span>Minato </span>
  </em>
  <span>if he ever tries to go easy on regulations.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Disappearing one day is drastically out of character, and Minato can’t help but think that something is horribly wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He searches for hours, and he hopes that Rin and Obito have already gone home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's about to go get Kushina to help him, as embarrassing as it would be to admit to her that he's lost one of his students, when he sees that Kakashi’s apartment lights are on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His heart speeds up in his chest and he immediately flickers up the flight of stairs. The door he had left open in his haste is closed now, although it still hangs open a crack from where Minato had broken it. He winces and makes a note, distant in the back of his mind, to make sure to pay to have it fixed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can’t sense Kakashi, but he calls out his name anyway. He doesn’t have to walk far to find his student in his bedroom, holding a calendar in his hands and looking perfectly fine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato lets out a long, heavy breath, adrenaline from his panic seeping out of his body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where were you? I looked everywhere trying to find you.” Minato rushes up to Kakashi, finally relieved to find his student completely safe. Nothing about him looks injured, but Minato notices that Kakashi has his left eye shut. It registers, somewhere in his head, that it’s strange of him to do that, but he’s mostly too overcome with relief to mention it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi takes a deep, shuddering breath and looks like he's about to speak but all that comes out is a quiet choking noise. It makes Minato realize that Kakashi has his back dug in the table behind him, crowded up against the wood in a way that must be painful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi’s singular open eye is wide, glassy in a way that looks like he can’t even see Minato, like he’s seeing something completely different. As if he’s seeing a ghost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato takes a step back, partially in surprise and partially because he’s always known Kakashi as an untactful person, and putting space between them will likely help him calm down. Hopefully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He says, keeping his voice steady, “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi breathes again and it’s shaky and heavy, and the calendar he’s holding rips in two. Kakashi’s breathing is labored, and he’s staring at Minato’s chest like there’s something unspeakably horrible there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks terrified and like he’s seen war two times over. Minato doesn’t like that look on his student.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, can you hear me?” He asks, and even if he can feel his heart pounding loudly in his chest he keeps his voice level. Kakashi gives no sign of recognition, like he can’t even hear Minato.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” He yells, loud and stern, hoping it will reach that part in Kakashi that responds to authority. It makes Kakashi startle, his young face holding that </span>
  <em>
    <span>old </span>
  </em>
  <span>stare darting up as he meets Minato’s gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato resolutely keeps his hands to himself, though they’re floating unsurely in front of him, moving halfway to reach Kakashi but not making it all the way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks at his hands, stares for a few moments before he’s throwing down the torn calendar in his hands and he reaches out for Minato first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He holds his wrist in a crushing grip, grasping on tightly and feeling over his pulse as if he can’t believe that it’s actually there. Kakashi is staring at his skin in wonderment, and even if the touch seems to be offering some kind of comfort to his young student, Minato can feel his bones grinding together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you’re hurting me.” He says, even if he almost feels bad for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi gasps and yanks his hand back to himself, and his weak, “I’m sorry.”, makes Minato want to give him his hand back and just let him break it if it makes him feel better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s never seen Kakashi like this, not since his father first died, and he comes to the sudden conclusion that he has no idea what he’s doing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But right now, Kakashi is hyperventilating and is likely pushing himself into another panic attack, and incompetent or not he’s going to help his student to the best of his ability.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you need to breathe.” He says, and he begins to breathe louder, urging Kakashi to copy him. Kakashi does, and Minato can feel himself begin to drain of tenseness when Kakashi starts to breathe normally again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is the most emotion he’s seen from the young boy since he first joined his team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay, now?” He asks softly once Kakashi has slowed his breathing and his shoulders begin to drop in increments, losing some of the tension held so tightly in his body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He kneels down in front of his student, trying to see Kakashi’s face from where it’s bowed down in what looks like embarrassment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” His student eventually answers, his voice low and raspy, like he’s been screaming for hours on end. It makes Minato’s heart squeeze uncomfortably in his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks tired, a dark shadow under his lone grey eye. It looks vacant and Kakashi seems exhausted, and Minato is about to ask what even caused all of this in the first place—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But then Kakashi sways on his feet, and Minato is jerking forward to catch him without hesitating. Kakashi lands on him, face buried in his shoulder. His legs are folded under him, and Minato doubts that Kakashi would be able to get back up on his own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can feel Kakashi’s small hand clutching his sleeves, holding so tightly Minato almost fears that the cloth will tear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sensei?” Kakashi murmurs into his flak jacket, quiet and soft. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Minato answers, arms still holding Kakashi, who surprisingly hasn’t tried to get up yet. Kakashi has never let anyone touch him like this, much less pull them closer and try to keep them there, and it just adds to Minato’s mounting worry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I missed you.” He slurs, before Minato’s arms are full of a passed out twelve-year old.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sits there for just a moment, allowing himself to be shocked, before he’s trying to pull Kakashi off of him to get a look at his face. Kakashi’s hands are still clutching his shirt, </span>
  <em>
    <span>tightly</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Okay, this is fine.” Minato mumbles to himself, pushing away the bubbling of anxiety he can feel in his stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wants to take Kakashi to the hospital, because he has no idea what is wrong with his kid, but he’s also aware of Kakashi’s rather intense aversion to hospitals. He doesn’t want to upset Kakashi more, and waking up in a hospital is likely a sure fire way of doing exactly that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stares at Kakashi’s bed for a few moments, before making the decision to let his student rest here for the night, and if </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>else goes wrong, he’s immediately taking the Chuunin to the hospital whether he likes it or not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Minato goes to place Kakashi down on the mattress, he has to pry the boy’s fingers off of him, and his heart does a twinging little ache at each finger he has to detach. He’s hit with the thought that something’s horribly wrong again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t look physically injured, not from what Minato can see, the only abnormality he noticed being the fact that he had kept his left eye closed the whole time. He’ll have to ask the boy about it as soon as he wakes up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But something </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> different. Kakashi didn’t show up for training today, disappeared for hours and Minato couldn’t find him, and his chakra feels different as well. Kakashi’s also not one to be so openly emotional, but today he was obviously upset, and didn’t shove Minato away as soon as he could. It could be because of how exhausted he had been, but even then he would find a way to escape any form of comfort, whether it be physical or otherwise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the way he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>looked. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato’s never seen that look on Kakashi’s face before, like he’s scared and shocked and shattering all at once. Kakashi had looked at Minato as if he had been seeing a walking corpse. It was unnerving and worrying all at once, and Minato ran his hand through his hair, thinking back on the past half hour over and over again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi had been just fine yesterday, so something bad enough to put Kakashi in </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>state had to have happened between the time he had gone home yesterday and this afternoon. And what he had said—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I missed you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s confusing as well, because they had just seen each other yesterday. And Kakashi has never expressed something even vaguely affectionate before, and if he somehow </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> miss Minato, he’d never thought that his student would ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>admit</span>
  </em>
  <span> to it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato looks over the sleeping form of his student and sighs. He takes Kakashi’s shoes off for him and tucks him under his blanket. Seeing just his head poking out of the top of the blanket reminds Minato just how young his student is. It’s easy to forget sometimes, with how amazing of a shinobi Kakashi is, how much of a prodigy and a genius he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks irrevocably young, here, sleeping deeply and wrapped in a soft blue blanket with his silver hair mussed up and out of uniform.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s getting late, and Kushina is likely waiting at home for him, but he doesn’t want to leave Kakashi’s side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he pulls over a chair next to Kakashi’s bed and listens to his student’s breathing for the rest of the night.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi wakes up and is faced with his worst nightmare; domesticity. </p><p> </p><p>Also, side note, I apologize for how short the chapters are! I want to make them longer but I just kinda find it easier writing little bites of it at one time. I’ll try to make future chapters longer, though!</p><p>And thank you for all the nice comments!! I read all of them again whenever I need inspiration to write more haha.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi wakes up in pain, with Rin’s name on his lips, and to the smell of eggs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His left eye is still aching and his legs feel like lead, but he’s wrapped securely in a warm blanket. It’s slightly comforting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He blinks only his right eye open blearily, and he’s confused for a moment before everything hits him again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s twelve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He passed out on Minato-sensei.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks around the bedroom, soft morning light spilling in from his single window. It’s still early, and Kakashi can smell food and hear the clinking of pots and pans coming from his kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Are you awake, now?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi turns his head and Minato is peeking in at him from the threshold of his bedroom, wearing a pink apron while his bangs are tied up in a little ponytail at the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi, absurdly, wants to cry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If he wasn’t awake already he is now, loudmouth.” Kushina says teasingly from behind him, slapping Minato on the back playfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato feigns hurt, and rubs the spot she had hit with a pout. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was mean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Suck it up, pretty boy.” She says, kissing his cheek with that sappy, in-love look that Minato returns right back. It’s exactly the kind of look that Kakashi remembers from all those years ago, when Minato would go on and on about his new girlfriend with that same love sodden face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is sure that he’s dreaming. And that he’s probably going to start crying at any moment now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina turns her gaze back on him, and something about what she sees makes her pretty face pinch in worry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, how are you feeling?” Kushina asks, her voice more gentle than it usually is. Her red hair is long and just as fiery as he remembers it, and he sees Naruto in the curve of her face, in the shape of her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breath hitches, “I—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can hear his front door slam open before he can even get anything out, “We’re back!” Obito's voice yells through the apartment, the outburst followed quickly by Rin’s half-hearted shushing that mixes with her happy giggles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi feels as if his stomach has fallen out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato claps his hands together and is saying, “Oh, thank you so much for your help.” as he walks down the hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can hear the rustling of bags and Obito rambling about all the things they had bought in the market, and his ears ring at the sound of his voice. He hasn’t heard that voice in years, what he hears in his dreams not withstanding, and yet it feels like it was just yesterday that Obito was boasting about becoming Hokage, shouting it to the world and </span>
  <em>
    <span>forcing </span>
  </em>
  <span>it to listen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s reminded of a certain blonde haired child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina is still standing at his door, and she’s looking at him with obvious concern plastered on her features. It makes Kakashi’s skin crawl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi.” Kushina says quietly, closing the door behind her and moving further into the room. The door hardly muffles the sound of his team’s voices, but he appreciates the thought anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” She asks, and the look in her eyes reminds him so much of Naruto that his heart stutters in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” He answers immediately, and is glad that when he moves to sit up he doesn’t fall right back down. He still feels sore, but he’s hurting less than he had been yesterday. He still keeps his left eye closed, and already knows he’s going to have to explain it eventually.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s not looking forward to that conversation. He’s not looking forward to any conversation he’s going to have to have at any point over the course of the next few months. Preferably, he’d like to avoid conversation all together, with anyone, ever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina looks doubtful, “Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alas, life does not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>avoiding conversations.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, I’m fine.” He drawls, “You don’t have to worry about me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina looks like she wants to say more but before she can go on Obito is bursting into his room, door banging against the wall loudly from where he slams it open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bakakashi! Where were you yesterday?” He shouts, boisterous and energetic and everything like Kakashi remembers him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(His last memory of Obito is of him being crushed under that boulder, Rin being pulled up into his arms and Obito’s gentle smile and missing eye as he’s crushed under even more rocks).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he’s not bleeding, nor missing an eye. He’s completely intact and looking rather healthy—and </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re always droning on and on about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>rules</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then one day you just disappear! Without telling anyone and then you make Minato-sensei search for you for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours </span>
  </em>
  <span>because you’re such a big </span>
  <em>
    <span>jerk—”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina promptly slaps him across the back of the head and he abruptly stops, holding his head and looking up at her in surprise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be nice, Obito.” She warns, looking down at Obito sternly. Obito shrinks a little under her gaze and has the decency to look sheepish.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” He mumbles, saying it first to Kushina and then turning to Kakashi and says even quieter, “I’m sorry for yelling at you. And calling you a jerk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s mouth is a little dry, and he also may or may not still be trying to process the fact that Obito and Kushina are in front of him </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and that he can hear Minato’s and Rin’s voices in his kitchen—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He really hopes he’s not going to start crying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine.” He mumbles, waving his hand absently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eye is roving over every part of Obito that he can see. He doesn't have his goggles with him today, and is instead dressed in a basic dark blue T-shirt and a pair of black shorts. His hair is still short and spiky, his eyes that same dark ebony that he remembers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he looks shocked, now, because if Kakashi was </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> twelve he probably wouldn’t have accepted the apology, instead would have called Obito something rude and turned his nose up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Obito had died, Kakashi had made a genuine effort to become closer to Rin, taking to protecting her incredibly seriously even if he had ultimately failed in that respect. He had come to care deeply for her in that year or so before she had died. And he had also gotten to know more about Obito through her, much more than he had known about Obito before he had died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(That’s one of his biggest regrets, never actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>knowing </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obito before it was too late. He should have never pushed him away so harshly, shouldn’t have blocked his team out for so long).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But right now, even if he’s changed drastically since he was a twelve year old boy, to them he’s still their aloof, strict teammate who spends more time calling them weak and useless than not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi wants to change that, too. Not just save them but </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine?” Obito asks cautiously, fidgeting on the spot. Even Kushina looks a little surprised, but she’s better at hiding it, though Kakashi still notices it anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It somehow makes Kakashi remember that he’s technically older than both Kushina and Minato are right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He doesn’t want to think about the fact he managed to live longer than everyone else who is in his home right now even if he was the one who deserved it the least).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m sorry for worrying you.” He says, and Obito looks at him and blinks a few times, as if he’s trying to confirm that what he’s seeing is actually real.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He recovers after a moment, “You d-didn’t worry me at all.” He stammers, but his eyes look glassy. Kakashi almost forgot how much of a crybaby he was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aw, my boys are getting along.” Kushina coos, running her hand through Obito’s hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bats her hand away and grumbles but his face is flushed bright pink. He’s so much like Naruto that it almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Minato-sensei says the food is done.” Rin announces, poking in from behind Obito before she notices Kakashi, “Oh, are you feeling alright now, Kakashi?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her wide brown eyes are fixed on him, bright and full of life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(It’s a distinct contrast from what he sees in his dreams, her face hard and angry, blood dripping from her mouth and her soft, soft voice distorted and low).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods because he doesn’t trust his voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiles, sincere and bright, and grabs onto Obito’s wrist, “Come on, let’s go eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito follows her easily, flushing and looking like Rin is his whole world. And right now, that’s likely true. Kakashi knows what the Uchihas think of him, knows that Obito has no one to go home to, knows that Rin and Minato are all that he has. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he could’ve had Kakashi too, if he hadn’t been so busy pushing everyone away because he was too scared of losing anyone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you coming?” Kushina asks, leaning against the bedroom door frame with those same worried eyes that Kakashi is already getting sick of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was supposed to protect her and he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>failed </span>
  </em>
  <span>just like he had failed everyone else and—and she shouldn’t be looking at him like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming.” He says, slipping out of bed, “Just—give me a moment.” He stares at her expectantly, and even though she looks like she doesn’t want to she nods reluctantly and steps out of the room, clicking the door closed quietly behind her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs, and it shudders out of him. He’s exhausted already, having to deal with all of them at once. </span>
  <em>
    <span>At least he hasn’t dropped onto his knees and begged each of them for forgiveness yet</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thinks with grim amusement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he stands up his legs barely tremble, and he’s relieved with the one less grievance to bother him. His chakra is still low, but it feels no different from any other time he uses too much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now all he has to do is go eat breakfast with his team and Kushina.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He contemplates picking a god and praying for them to just strike him down already.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi is not good at dealing with feelings. Or allowing the domesticity to last too long.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Kakashi finally musters up the courage, he manages to make himself walk into the kitchen. His small dining table is already set when he crosses through the threshold, everyone sitting around it and talking and laughing with each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They look happy, their faces lit up and flush with life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a domestic scene, </span>
  <em>
    <span>horribly </span>
  </em>
  <span>domestic, and it’s been a long time since Kakashi has experienced something even remotely like this. He remembers moments similar to this, few and far in between as they were, where he would share a meal with Obito and Rin, but it’s been so </span>
  <em>
    <span>long.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It looks like something plucked right out of the deep, lonely, guilt ridden recesses of Kakashi’s mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It looks like something that Kakashi could call </span>
  <em>
    <span>family. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the thought scares him almost as much as it had the first time around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” Minato notices him first, his already bright face lighting up even more. He doesn’t seem like he’s going to bring last night up just yet, and for that Kakashi is grateful. He’s not so disillusioned that he thinks it won’t come up </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but he’s always been good at aversion. He’ll figure something out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope you don’t mind that we used your kitchen.” Minato chuckles a little nervously, but he does motion to an open seat, urging Kakashi to sit down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We also restocked everything, too.” Kushina says, and something in her tone sounds like a warning, “There was hardly anything here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi feels his face morph into that fake eye smile he’s perfected over the years as he sits down—next to Kushina and in front of Obito, Minato at the head of the table with Rin next to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, thank you. I was going to do that soon myself.” He says lightly, easily finding himself able to lie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks down at his plate instead of at their confused faces, pushing the food around with his chopsticks. He’s not particularly hungry, and he’s partially worried that if he tries to eat anything he’s just going to end up throwing it right back up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re welcome.” Minato mumbles after a moment, the first one to recover from what must be deemed Strange Kakashi Behaviour to them. Kakashi is vaguely amused, if he forgets the part where he’s likely going to be questioned extensively some time before his day is out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one speaks for a moment before Obito blurts suddenly, “What’s wrong with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obito!” Rin chides from where she’s sitting beside him, and Obito turns to her with an indignant pout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What! We were all thinking it.” Obito says, and turns right back towards Kakashi, “What’s up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is definitely one of the Conversations—</span>
  <em>
    <span>with a capital c</span>
  </em>
  <span>—that Kakashi wanted to ignore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So he dodges the question in classic Kakashi style.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hums, “Nothing much.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know that’s not what I meant—” Obito growls, and Minato cuts in before he can continue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What Obito’s trying to say is,” Minato starts, giving Obito a pointed look before continuing, “Kakashi, did—did something happen?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi meets Minato’s gaze and he knows that Minato is looking at his closed left eye. And he’s also probably thinking of last night if that worried glint in his light blue eyes means anything. Kakashi really wishes people would stop looking at him like that before he tears his skin off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bad dream, is all.” Kakashi says breezily, allows his eye to crinkle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about your eye?” Rin says this time, and her hands are clasped in front of her, young face painted with concern. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think I just got something in it. It was just a little irritated, I’ll be fine. Promise.” He waves a dismissive hand, and knows that he likely isn’t fooling anyone. But they can’t exactly say otherwise either way, and a few lies should be able to keep them at bay for a little while. Hopefully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can take a look at it—” Rin offers helpfully, looking eager to be of assistance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No need.” Kakashi reassures her, “Really, it’s nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t open your eye and it’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing,</span>
  </em>
  <span> huh?” Kushina drawls, and Kakashi knows that she’s the least convinced out of all of them. And she’ll also be the most stubborn. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Naruto didn’t get that stubborn streak of his out of nowhere).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi holds in his sigh, “Mmhm. I’ll be fine.” He repeats.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He picks up his chopsticks and grabs a piece of food, and everyone instinctively looks away when he goes to pull down his mask. He swallows the entire plate and pulls his mask back up in under ten seconds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, that was good.” He says amicably, pushing himself out of his chair. “But if I may be excused.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He’s not running away, he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t wait for a response and instead makes a break for his bathroom, locks the door, and heaves everything he just ate right back up into the toilet. He was right in his original assumption, and apparently scarfing everything down didn’t make matters any better. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least he had the excuse to escape quickly. And apparently the emotional upheaval of dying and then being thrust back into his childhood isn’t good for one’s stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He almost thinks that this is a strange sort of hell. If he wasn’t killed by Pein, then he supposes he’s just going to die here instead, suffocated by his own grief, surrounded by all of the people he’s failed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe he’s being dramatic, maybe he’s been reading too many flowery romance novels. Either way, Kakashi probably isn’t dealing with this too well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wipes and rinses his mouth, and when he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror he doesn’t look any better than he had yesterday. His skin looks even paler than usual, dark rings under his eyes and a thin sheen of sweat covering his face. Most of it isn’t visible under his mask, and he’s thankful for the convenience.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because if someone asks if he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>alright </span>
  </em>
  <span>or </span>
  <em>
    <span>okay </span>
  </em>
  <span>again he’s going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He’s been here for less than a day and he’s already mentally and physically exhausted. But he can’t just fail all of them again, can’t be given this strange, fucked up sort of second chance and just fuck it all up </span>
  <em>
    <span>again—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He breathes in and resolutely shoves all of his thoughts into a mental box and decides to visit them later, preferably where he can break down in peace instead of in his childhood bathroom with his team and Kushina just in the other room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hasn’t tried to open his left eye again since the moment he’s got here. He prods at it first before he attempts to open it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Attempts</span>
  </em>
  <span> being the key word because as soon as he tries to move his eyelid he’s immediately hit with a wave of pain so intense that he stumbles. He shoots his hand out to clutch his sink counter to keep himself from falling sideways. He touches his eyelid, as if he could close it even more or somehow ease the pain. He grits his teeth and breathes through it until the bright hot burning calms into a mild ache.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He steadies himself eventually, his legs no longer feeling like they’re about to give out at any moment. He manages to pry his fingers off of the counter, wincing when he sees the indents he left pressed into the wood.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he's likely not going to be able to open his eye for a while. At least there’s no blemish over it, no scar or tell that something's wrong on the outside. It could make it easier to hide, but he still doesn't know what he's going to do when he can open it </span>
  <em>
    <span>(if he even can)</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and his sharingan is there for everyone to see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can certainly still feel it there, the same ache and throb that accompanies overuse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He hears Minato’s voice from the other side of the door accompanied by a tentative knock. He’s been hearing Minato’s voice through doors a lot lately.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” He calls back, sounding for all intents and purposes positively bored. He likes the fact he seems to be getting a hold on his emotions. Probably. Maybe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just making sure nothing’s wrong. You left in a rush and you ate so fast…” Minato’s voice trails off, like he isn’t sure what to say but he knows he’s bothered by Kakashi’s behavior but can’t figure out how to deal with it just yet. Kakashi is selfishly glad he doesn’t seem to have much of a plan of action just yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay sensei, I’ll be out in just a moment.” He says, infusing his voice with a sort of annoyance that would be common for his twelve year old self to use.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, alright.” Comes Minato’s unsure voice, and Kakashi doesn’t have too long to feel guilty before he can hear Minato’s light footsteps trailing away from the bathroom door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He should also feel guilty about lying, but he’s too busy sneaking out his bathroom window to ponder on that too long.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi and his ninken. Also there’s Gai.</p><p> </p><p>Uhh,,, not sure if I like this chapter but I agonized over it for too long and I just kinda want to move on haha. </p><p>I’m not really on a set schedule but I’m trying to get a chapter out at least once a week because I’d probably lose motivation if I don’t keep writing consistently.  </p><p>But umm as hard as Gai is to write I adore him so he’s a plus 🥺</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi didn’t have much of a plan when he leapt out of his bathroom window other than </span>
  <em>
    <span>he really wanted to get away.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apparently, dealing with his team and Kushina is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>right now. So he doesn’t deal with it and instead… takes a break. Maybe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(</span>
  <em>
    <span>Still</span>
  </em>
  <span> not running away, no matter what anyone else says).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His feet take him through the woods and the trees to the only other home he can think of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s the old Hatake compound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It isn’t much different than the last time he saw it. Much of the greenery is overgrown and there’s likely small animals and bugs running rampant inside the abandoned building, but there’s nothing else about it that looks particularly different.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a relief but it causes his chest to seize at the same time. All he can think of is his father when he looks at the compound. His cooling corpse on the floor, his blood splattered across the ground, the stained tanto—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He takes a deep breath and walks inside before he can lose his nerve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The interior is covered in dust and cobwebs, the furniture eaten through by moths or rats or whatever got a hold of them. The paintings and decorations are still on the wall where he left them, the few house plants his father had liked keeping long dead and a wilted brown in their pots. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi walks through the house, resolutely ignoring his father’s room, and the rest of the house is in similar condition to the main entrance room. Kakashi had regretted letting the compound go once he had gotten older. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe he can save this place too, this one small piece of his clan that's left. Kakashi is the last of his clan, after all, and when he dies there´ll be nothing left of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can change that too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But first, his ninken. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hasn't tried summoning them just yet. He thinks he has enough chakra, because even though his eye is giving him trouble he should be able to summon his ninken with what he has. He does also have better control over his chakra than what he had when he was actually twelve, and he still has over two decades of being an active ninja still thrumming under his skin. This should be fine. He hopes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bites his thumb, makes the correct signs, and slams his hand onto the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His whole pack appears in a puff of smoke, the eight dogs looking just like they do when he's older. It’s slightly draining, summoning all of them when he’s pretty sure he’s not fully recovered yet, but at least he’s not passing out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs in relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Boss?” Pakkun says, obvious in his confusion, “Why are you smaller than I remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums and scratches at his chin absently, “It seems that we’re in the past.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Is all Pakkun says before he’s moving on, “So, what do you need from us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to see if you came back with me. Apparently, you did. Which makes you the only ones who have. To my knowledge, at least.” Kakashi says, and hopes him and his ninken are the only ones here. He wouldn’t know how to go about finding anyone else who was sent here, or know how they even got here in the first place considering he doesn't know why he </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span> is here either.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakkun hums and shifts on his paws, looking back at the rest of the pack before turning to Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few moments of silence pass before Pakkun says, “We felt you die, you know. The contract was severed only for a few hours before it suddenly just reappeared.” Pakkun looks nervous, like he can’t stand still, “But you were still dead for a while there, boss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can see his other ninken bow their heads behind Pakkun, their tails drooping. Kakashi reaches out slowly and pets Pakkun’s head, fingers running over his short, soft fur. Kakashi’s never been good at comforting gestures, but it looks like it helps anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” He whispers, and finds his voice won’t raise any higher. When he retracts his hand from Pakkun he can see the other seven looking at him expectantly, and he‘s able to smile just a little, at their big, round eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come here.” He says, and he holds his arms out, allowing the dogs to pile around him. He ends up with his back resting against Bull’s large body, Pakkun in his lap, and everyone else curled against his sides and over his legs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s warm, and the most comfortable and safe he’s felt since arriving here. His eye stings, but he doesn’t cry. His chest tightens and his throat closes up but he still refuses to cry. He just runs his hands through his dogs’ soft fur and </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s glad he’s not alone in this, that he has them here for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The peace is broken by an incredibly loud and incredibly familiar voice shouting, “Kakashi! My rival!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Gai.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s Gai stopping abruptly at his open front door and staring at him with what looks like visible sparkles in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s only silent for half a second before shouting, “You have dogs!” His fist held out in front of him, and pumping up and down in the air excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...yes.” Kakashi answers after a moment, not sure what else to say. Gai somehow looks even more ridiculous than he remembers, but Kakashi is relieved that this is the first face he sees that’s not attached to someone who’s already dead in his timeline.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“May I pet them?” He asks, looking very intently at Kakashi’s ninken. Kakashi wants to smile, because </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he really misses Gai. His twelve year old self would likely find that concept inconceivable, but he’s missed his best friend a lot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks down at his dogs to gauge their reaction, and their tails are wagging at the thought of being petted. Gai had always been good with his dogs, energetic enough to play and run around with them, and very thorough when petting them. Not to mention he loved buying them expensive treats but never told Kakashi where he got them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi gives a nod for him to go ahead and Gai shoots off towards them, bundling them in his lap and petting any part of them that he can reach. Pakkun stays in his lap and watches with an amusement that matches Kakashi’s own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They are very cute, rival!” Gai proclaims, scratching Bisuke behind his ear, the dog’s tail thumping loudly against the floor in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was not aware you owned eight dogs.” Gai says, sounding astonished by the shear number.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, they’re summons. Canines run in the family.” Kakashi answers, petting Pakkun in a much calmer manner than Gai.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can summon so many at such a young age? My rival never ceases to amaze me!” Gai yells, turning back to the dogs around him with renewed vigor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai coos at his dogs for a few moments, barely even seeming to acknowledge that Kakashi is even there, before he looks up abruptly. There’s a stubborn glint in Gai’s eye that Kakashi’s intimately familiar with and he braces himself for another </span>
  <em>
    <span>Conversation.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope you don't find it offensive, but you looked rather upset earlier. So I decided to follow you! For the sake of making sure a fellow youth is alright!” Gai explains, one hand balled in a fist in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I must ask, are you faring well, Rival? You haven't even called me annoying yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts at the comment, though Gai does appear genuinely concerned for his wellbeing. It really shouldn't have taken them so long to become friends.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had a bad dream yesterday, nothing too noteworthy. I‘ll be fine.” Kakashi answers, and even with all of Gai’s energy he's somehow the easiest to talk to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you are certain!” Gai says, and then pauses, peering at Kakashi´s face, “Though, what is wrong with your eye?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Training accident.” He says simply, and hopes it’s more believable than the excuse he had given his team and Kushina.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai gasps and leans towards him, hovering over the dogs and managing to get right in Kakashi’s face, “But you will recover, yes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, “I’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That is a relief!” Gai sighs, holding a fist over his heart, “I do not wish to see you harmed, but I am in full confidence that even if my rival were to lose his eye he would still be one of the most capable Shinobi I have ever met.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can’t help but snort, ducking his head in a way that is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> bashful, absolutely not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad someone has such confidence in me.” He drawls, watching as Gai lights up at the words in a way that is not proportionate to the lazy tone of Kakashi’s voice. He looks like Kakashi agreed to participate in five separate challenges with him in one day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course! My rival will always have my full support.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Gai.” Kakashi says sarcastically, or at least he tries to. It comes out significantly more fond then he meant it to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai pauses, his ever expressive face falling blank for a moment before he says, “Are you certain that you didn’t hit your head as well?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me being nice means I’m suffering from a head injury?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai splutters, “I—I didn’t mean to imply—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi laughs, quiet and short, “I’m just joking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Gai chews on his bottom lip, “I wasn’t quite sure you knew how to joke.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi huffs, “I think I have a wonderful sense of humor.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai nods, but his eyes look like they’re studying Kakashi, traveling the length of his body and roaming over what little is visible of his face. Kakashi almost forgot how smart Gai is, and maybe he shouldn’t have jumped right into what must be a completely different personality to everyone here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has a feeling he’s already massively screwing a lot of things up, but nothing ever gets done when you’re too </span>
  <em>
    <span>careful.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He thinks he’s probably been spending too much time with Naruto, Sakura, and Sai to be so impulsive like this).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re just acting differently today.” Gai says, absently petting the dogs that are still vying for his attention. Most of Gai’s focus is on him this time, though. Kakashi steels himself so he doesn’t shift nervously under his gaze, making sure his hands are relaxed from where they’re still running over Pakkun’s fur.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A good different, I hope?” Kakashi can’t help but ask, because it’d be just like him to somehow make everything turn out </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse </span>
  </em>
  <span>this time around even if it’s his intention to try and fix everything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai smiles, bright and large and familiar, “Yeah, I think so.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, too, and it isn’t forced.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minato, Kushina, Rin, and Obito are all Worried and Confused.</p><p> </p><p>Ahh I kinda hate this chapter but I’m sick of looking at it so,,, here. Next chapter is planned to be Obito POV so hopefully that’s exciting??</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Minato goes back to sit at the dining table everyone is silent. The air is strangely heavy, like a thick blanket around them, and Minato already feels lightheaded with confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It only lasts about thirty seconds before the silence is broken.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think Kakashi is alright?” Rin says quietly, surprisingly being the one to speak first. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He instinctively wants to answer </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>,</span>
  <em>
    <span> of course </span>
  </em>
  <span>but the words get stuck in his throat when he looks at her. Rin’s eyes have always been expressive, and Minato thinks she looks akin to a saddened puppy when she’s worried like this, looking up at him with big, round eyes. He doesn’t want to lie to her just to be placating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The truth is, he has no idea what’s happening with his student. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi seemed strangely mellow, mature in a different way than usual when he had walked into the kitchen this morning. He’s always been quiet, but he’s also always been strict and tightly controlled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi seemed somehow—easygoing, maybe a little sad—and when had his student gotten so good at averting </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Minato felt like he had even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> questions than what he had last night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>First, Kakashi is apparently trying to chalk up his behavior to a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad dream</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There’s only one thing that Minato can think of for his student to have nightmares about, and the thought makes his chest squeeze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Is Kakashi’s behavior somehow attributed to resurfacing thoughts of his father?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi never mentions his father, and Minato’s always been careful of avoiding the topic as well. He doesn’t know much about Hatake Sakumo himself, hadn’t really talked to him before he died, and he can only guess at what Kakashi’s feelings about him are.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knows that Kakashi’s fondness for following the rules likely has a direct link with how his father had died, but Minato didn’t know Kakashi before his father had passed. He has no idea how his father's death truly changed him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But it’s plausible, Minato supposes, considering he does know Kakashi never had anyone to help him through the loss of his father. That’s a difficult experience for a child to go through, Minato knows, but a bad dream still doesn’t account for what seems like a complete personality shift.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi isn’t acting like Minato’s ever seen before, and the behavior is seemingly out of nowhere. He was fine just the other day, but now he’s supposedly having nightmares and he can’t open his eye and he looks like he’s seen war and loss beyond his years.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eye, which was apparently only </span>
  <em>
    <span>irritated</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Minato isn’t a medic nin, but he doesn’t think a little dust is going to keep someone from opening their eye like that, especially considering the fact Kakashi had been keeping it closed last night as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something’s wrong, and Kakashi isn’t telling them what it is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato must take too long to answer Rin’s question because he feels Kushina’s hand being placed lightly on his bicep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Minato?” She says, and Minato blinks and shakes his head, pulling out of his thoughts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” He shoots her a small smile before turning back to Rin, “Kakashi will be alright.” He assures her even if he isn’t sure if he even believes the words himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin bites at her lip nervously and Obito looks just as troubled, a familiar glassy sheen over his eyes. Kushina looks like a mix between angry and worried, her face scrunched up in thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato sighs and stares down at his plate, the food still warm, but he doesn’t feel like eating anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any idea what happened to make him act like this?” Kushina asks and Minato’s gaze drifts up to her, “You told me he didn’t show up for training, and that he passed out last night, but you couldn’t find any visible wounds on him. Is that all you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato sucks in a breath and says, “I couldn’t find him for hours last night and then he just turned back up at his apartment when I was about to go find you. He had seemed—panicked, when I found him. ” Minato’s brows furrow, “And he had looked at me—like he hadn’t seen me in a long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has no idea how to describe the look that had been on Kakashi’s face, like he was seeing a ghost, a walking corpse. And he had looked so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>older </span>
  </em>
  <span>somehow, had that look in his eye that Minato has only seen on Shinobi who have been fighting for decades, those who have seen horrors and death and war.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Kakashi is just a twelve year old child, and despite being a chuunin and a shinobi since he was six, Kakashi has never looked like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato’s lips press together tightly, his mind replaying all of the events from the previous night. “I don’t know how to explain it—but he had grabbed my hand and just </span>
  <em>
    <span>stared </span>
  </em>
  <span>at me. He looked upset and he wasn't breathing properly—and then he just told me he had missed me before he passed out.” He shook his head, “That's all I know, and you saw how he wouldn’t answer questions about his eye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina looks even more troubled, and Minato almost feels bad having to tell her all of this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And it started just yesterday?” She asks, looking as if she is trying to comprehend all of it, trying to force it all to make sense.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he was acting like he normally does just the day before.” He reaffirms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think—someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>something.” Kushina says vaguely, looking angry enough at even the notion that someone had hurt Kakashi that she can’t even complete the thought. Minato feels much the same way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don't know.” He answers honestly, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He doesn’t want to think about that, because if he finds out someone has even been </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking </span>
  </em>
  <span>at Kakashi in the wrong way he doesn’t think he would be able to stop himself from ripping them into pieces.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a tense silence for only a few moments before, “He’s been in there a while.” Obito blurts, twisting around in his chair and trying to peek down the hallway, “M’gonna go check on him.” Obito mumbles, jumping out of his chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming too.” Rin says, sliding out of her chair and following after him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Bakakashi, are you okay in there?” Minato can hear Obito’s voice float through the small apartment, softer than it typically is when he’s speaking with Kakashi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you make yourself sick?” Rin’s voice pipes in after a handful of seconds when they don’t seem to get an answer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something heavy settles in Minato’s stomach, and he’s struck with a decidedly </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad feeling.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bakakashi?” Obito calls, louder this time and his voice is accompanied by the sound of him trying to open the bathroom door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato looks at Kushina, and one glance at her grim face makes him shoot out of his seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He steps in between his students and presses his ear to the bathroom door, one of his hands falling instinctively on top of Obito’s head in what he hopes is a comforting gesture.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” Minato raises his voice, “I need you to tell me whether or not you’re in there.” He doesn’t hear a single sound from the other side of the door, and his gut twists itself up into uncomfortable knots.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming in.” He warns, even if he’s sure no one is even in there. He pushes the door open with little force, the lock easily popping off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bathroom is empty and the window has been left open. Minato feels like he’s aged about ten years in the past day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns around and Kushina is standing at the end of the hallway, her arms crossed and a frown marring her typically gentle face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not in there.” She says, even if she doesn’t need to. Minato nods anyway, fighting the urge to look away from Kushina’s heated stare. She’s likely not angry at him exactly, but she’s definitely getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one speaks after a minute, the only noise being Obito’s quiet sniffling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina scoffs, “I’m going to go find him.” She declares, stomping off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seems to spur everyone else into action, “I want to go too.” Obito says, following her and wiping hurriedly at his tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” Rin echoes, going to follow Kushina as well before stopping abruptly and turning to Minato, “But you should stay here just in case Kakashi comes back, Sensei.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato is on the verge of arguing before Kushina says, “She’s right. Rin and Obito can look together, I can go by myself, and you can stay here. It’ll cover more ground.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato pouts, just a little, but aquescies the point. He can sit still, just for a while. No problem.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina reads him easily, “I know you don’t like it, but you did say he eventually came right back home last night. It could turn out the same way today.” Kushina runs a hand over the back of his head, her fingers twining into his blonde hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He mumbles, and she leans up, kissing him lightly on the lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll try to find him quickly. Don’t worry yourself sick while we’re gone.” She smiles like she’s not just as worried as he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll try.” He smiles back at her, and she gives him one last peck on the cheek before stepping back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on!” He can hear Obito shout, Rin already standing with him at the front door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright!” Kushina shouts right back, waving her hand in irritation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye, Sensei!” His students say in unison, before they’re rushing out the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be back soon, Minato.” Kushina gives him a mock salute, before she follows after them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door’s still not fixed, Minato muses. It helps keep his mind off the fact his youngest student is currently missing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Today is going to be a long day,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Minato thinks as he sinks into a chair at the dining table, every plate other than Kakashi’s left untouched.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rin and Obito find their dumb teammate.</p><p>Ahh,, this story is going so slow I apologize. I have such a hard time writing dialogue though and as much as I want Conversations to happen they’re incredibly hard to write. Anyways,, I do hope you enjoy the chapter regardless!<br/>And thank you so much for all of the lovely comments!! I haven’t responded to all of them but I’ve read all of them, and likely more than once haha.</p><p>Also I really wanted to get this chapter out today because it’s Kakashi’s birthday! Happy birthday dog man ily ✨💗✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obito is going to punch Kakashi in the face when they find him. Or hug him. Maybe both.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he knows is that he’s probably going to end up doing something a little dramatic, but he’s of the opinion that the asshole is going to deserve it. The jerk is making Minato-Sensei, Rin</span>
  <em>
    <span>, and </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kushina all worried sick, so he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to deserve all of the yelling Obito is sure he’s going to do when they find him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If they ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>can </span>
  </em>
  <span>find him, Obito mentally corrects himself. They’ve been searching for over an hour and a half now, searching the streets, asking shop owners and random passing civilians if they’ve seen him, checking the training grounds and even the forest of death. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which Obito did not miss at all since he’d last been there during the chuunin exams. He also might of whined the whole time he was jumping through trees with Rin and looking for their dumb teammate who has apparently developed an affinity for running away and not telling anyone where he’s going.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Obito is not worried, not at all, and his eyes are most certainly not stinging with tears he won’t allow to fall. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Absolutely not).</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where </span>
  <em>
    <span>haven’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> we looked?” Obito groans after they walk away from yet another civilian who says the exact same thing they’ve been hearing for almost two hours now, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m sorry but I haven’t seen him.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hopes Kushina is having better luck than they are, but considering what glimpses they’ve seen of her pinched and tight frown when they pass each other every once in a while, Obito can already answer his own thoughts with a resounding, </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s having just as much trouble as us.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin seems to pause and genuinely think over his question though, her brows scrunching together in concentration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The old Hatake compound.” She answers, her eyes widening as if she’s come to some great revelation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is just confused, “The what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s Kakashi’s clan compound.” She explains, in that voice of hers that doesn’t make Obito feel stupid for not knowing something. It’s a lot different than the voice Kakahsi uses when he has to explain anything to him, that haughty tone he uses that makes Obito feel like he’s no more than an ant in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I remember my mother talking about it a while back. The head died a few years ago and there’s been no one taking care of the clan grounds since. I don’t know much other than that but it’s something.” She looks hopeful, and Obito gives her a reassuring smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then let’s look there!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin smiles back at him before biting her lip, looking as if she’s trying to remember something, “I’m not sure where it is exactly but it should be this way…” Her voice trails off, but when she begins to walk Obito follows her without question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He follows her back through the village, through the heavily wooded areas around the border and through the trees. It takes a handful of minutes of Rin mumbling to herself and a bit of walking in circles before they actually find it.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they finally see some kind of structure in the distance Rin abruptly stops in her tracks. Obito nearly bumps into her before he catches himself, peeking over her shoulder and trying to see what she does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is it!” She exclaims excitedly, jumping down from the branch she had been perched on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The apparent Hatake compound looks old, decrepit, and as if someone hasn’t so much as </span>
  <em>
    <span>looked </span>
  </em>
  <span>at it in years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Obito asks doubtfully, but he’s dutifully trailing behind her, trying to keep up with her increasing pace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure of it!” She says, looking so confident in her assessment that Obito doesn’t have the heart to voice any of his suspicions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door is left open, Obito notices once they get closer, and he can hear the panting and yipping of dogs and is that… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maito Gai’s voice?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Gai’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> face peeks out from the threshold of the entrance, his dark eyes wide and a pug cradled in his arms. The pug looks content, relaxed and droopy eyed in the boy’s arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah!” He says, and it’s significantly quieter than what Obito is used to, as if he’s trying to quiet himself for the dog’s sake, “You are…” He trails off, his voice softer but still somehow managing to be just as powerful as it typically is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He also doesn’t seem to be able to place who Obito and Rin are.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re Rin!” He whisper-yells, and Obito corrects himself, Gai just doesn’t seem to recognize </span>
  <em>
    <span>him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t pout because of that, not at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Gai.” Rin says politely, but it’s obvious what she’s more concerned with when she continues, “Do you know where Kakashi is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai’s face brightens up in that way it does anytime Kakashi is mentioned and Obito has no idea why someone would ever light up at the thought of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bakakashi </span>
  </em>
  <span>but Gai’s always been a bit strange. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi isn’t even particularly nice to him either, just how he isn’t nice to </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>and Obito really wishes his chest wasn’t so tight with worry because otherwise he’d leave the asshole to sulk. But Kakashi had to be all </span>
  <em>
    <span>dumb</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>concerning</span>
  </em>
  <span> and act all </span>
  <em>
    <span>weird</span>
  </em>
  <span> and look so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad </span>
  </em>
  <span>and now Obito has to spend hours looking for his </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid</span>
  </em>
  <span> teammate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My rival is here!” Gai answers, his voice still doing that whisper-shout thing that’s probably not doing much for the pug in his arms but Obito supposes it’s the thought that counts, “He’s trying to fix up the kitchen. I’m sure it will be a successful endeavor considering the talent and determination of my esteemed rival!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he’s here?” Rin breathes, her hands clasped in front of her, “Did—did he seem different, to you?” She asks hesitantly, as if she wants to know how her teammate is doing but cautious to possibly invade his privacy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s never been good at holding in his impulses so he blurts, “Was he acting like a weirdo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin slaps him lightly on the arm for the comment but most of her attention is placed on Gai.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai shifts on his feet, his face dimming briefly, “I don’t wish to possibly anger him with sharing my thoughts with you—but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> his teammates.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One of Gai’s hands is still idly petting the dog in his arms, and yet his face holds a sort of intensity that is uniquely Gai. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito wonders if Kakashi knows just how many people, inexplicably, care about his stupid ass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He looked upset when I saw him earlier.” The pug, who Obito notices is wearing a vest and a hitai-ate, perks up slightly at the words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And then I followed him here. I’m not sure why he came here of all places but I do not wish to overwhelm him with questions! He seemed tired and hurting already!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He seemed like he was in pain?” Rin asks quietly, her hands twisting together nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes.” Gai says, pausing as his thick brows knit together, “I think he was trying to hide it, but I am confident that I know enough about my rival to know that he was acting differently than usual!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Differently than usual </span>
  </em>
  <span>was probably a bit of an understatement. Kakashi had hardly felt like the </span>
  <em>
    <span>same person</span>
  </em>
  <span> this morning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you just going to stand out there all day?” Kakashi’s voice calls through the house, and Obito can’t help but jump at the sound. He almost forgot that the asshole they had spent the past two hours looking for was even supposed to be in there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right there!” Gai yells, turning to Obito and Rin and excitedly ushering them inside. The pug is still held in the other boy’s arms, and he’s staring at Rin and Obito with unnervingly intelligent eyes. Obito looks away and tries not feel intimidated by a small dog.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There are seven more dogs inside, and they are all spread out on the kitchen floor, watching as Kakashi wipes up cobwebs and cleans the counters. All of the dogs inside are dressed up as well, and Obito had thought the dogs might’ve belonged to Gai at first, but the lack of green makes him wonder if they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi’s. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a surreal sight and a strangely domestic one, a side he hasn’t seen of Kakashi since they were still younger children. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi was hardly </span>
  <em>
    <span>friendly</span>
  </em>
  <span> when they were younger, but he’s only seemed to become more and more rigid with age. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But right now he’s stepping around seven different dogs, not complaining once about them being in the way, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>humming </span>
  </em>
  <span>as he cleans. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you gonna help?” Kakashi asks, looking up at Rin and him from where they’re openly staring. Though, Obito notices, he won’t look them in the eye. Obito isn’t alway the most observant person, but he likes to think he at the very least knows </span>
  <em>
    <span>people. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi’s single open eye is focused somewhere in between Rin’s and his shoulders instead of looking directly at either one of them. Kakashi doesn’t typically have a problem with making eye contact, the hardass would likely complain about how improper it is to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>look someone in the eye. It’s a little thing to latch onto, but it’s even stranger when it’s added to all the other things that Kakashi is doing that’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely out of character. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can help.” Rin responds easily, the first of the two to find their voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“U-uh, yeah, sure.” Obito mumbles, his voice still caught somewhere in his throat. He doesn’t exactly get the point of cleaning just the kitchen, considering he doubts the fridge or any of the cupboards are stocked, and the whole house seems to be covered in a noticeable layer of dust, but he agrees despite his racing thoughts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know what else to say anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, and then he’s throwing rags at the both of them. Rin catches hers, and Obito fumbles with his before his fingers close around it properly, his face heating up and his jaw clenching.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts, a quiet, indelicate sound that sounds halfway mocking but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>mean. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t even make a scathing comment, his single eye just curves in a mockery of a smile and he turns back to the counters he was wiping down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has never done that before, except for just now and this morning. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>being the fake eye smile </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing</span>
  </em>
  <span> that is so obviously fabricated that it’s almost ridiculous. It’s as if it’s somehow become a habit of Kakashi’s without it ever actually being present in his everyday body language.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito, not for the first time today, wonders if someone he doesn’t know has taken up residence in his teammate’s body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin casts a look over to him, her wide eyes concerned and her fingers picking nervously at the rag in her hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you cleaning the kitchen first?” Obito asks, even though it’s not what he actually wants to ask. Really, he kinda wants to get to the whole yelling at him for being an asshole and making everyone fret over him part, but he doesn’t want to upset Rin more than she already is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(And maybe he doesn’t want to get into the thick of things just yet because </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow </span>
  </em>
  <span>even if he can only see half of the bastard’s face he looks like he’s one strong wind away from keeling over).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, I was hoping that I could get it cleaned up by lunch time.” Kakashi answers, his voice a lazy drawl and when the hell had Kakashi started talking like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai was just leaving when you two got here. He should be out for a while buying groceries.” Kakashi continues, not even facing them as he talks. His voice is laced with a sort of nonchalance that Obito has never associated with his teammate before, the sternness and general undertone of permanent derisiveness completely missing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mention of Gai does make Obito realize that he’s gone now, likely having left while Rin and Obito were busy gawking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We just bought you groceries though.” Obito can’t help but pout, just a little. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, Gai insisted.” Kakashi turns toward them then, scratching his chin and raising a thin, silver brow, “Are you really just going to stand there all day?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Sorry.” Rin quickly apologizes, finding the closest counter and scrubbing. Obito is sure she’s being unnecessarily aggressive towards the poor surface, but he isn’t going to stop her from getting a little bit of her frustration out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of them have any idea what’s happening, or how to deal with Kakashi, and they don’t know what the hell they're supposed to say to bring up what they’re here to actually talk about. Kakashi seems pretty content with not bringing it up, and Obito decides resolutely that yeah </span>
  <em>
    <span>no </span>
  </em>
  <span>that’s not how this is going to work.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we just not gonna talk about it?” He says bluntly, and Rin freezes in her cleaning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kakashi says lazily, refusing to look at Obito and is instead staring at his rag as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>That!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obito waves his hand around as if to encompass all of Kakashi, “How you’re acting, your eye! How you missed out on training yesterday for the first time since I’ve met you, how you’ve been disappearing without telling anyone! Sensei, Kushina, and Rin are all worried about you, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gai</span>
  </em>
  <span> is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito bites his lips, shifts on his feet, and apparently he’s chosen his way of being dramatic and says, “And I’m worried about you, too, asshole.” He blinks harshly when his vision begins to blur.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito doesn’t know what he expects, but Kakashi’s fingers curl into his palm so hard that Obito thinks he’s broken skin, before his whole body releases all of its tension and he sags forward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said I’m fine.” His voice sounds rough, but his eye is doing that stupid curve in that not-habit way of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito feels something hot unfurl in his chest, but Rin is speaking before he can get anything more than a slightly strangled noise to leave his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi—you—you don’t have to tell us yet.” Rin says softly, and Kakashi flinches, almost imperceptibly but Obito catches the slight jerk in his shoulders, “But you can tell us, if something’s wrong, you know that, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi swallows audibly, and when the silence stretches Obito says quietly, “Just—tell us when you’re ready, we’ll listen.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi finally meets his eye then, and even if it’s only for a moment Obito feels like he’s seeing someone he’s known for years and a complete stranger all at once. His throat clicks when he swallows, and he rocks back on his feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Kakashi says quietly, and he goes right back to cleaning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito releases a breath and he can see Rin’s shoulders drop, her face looking softer and less worried. Obito steps over one of the dogs still lying on the floor and begins to help them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re all silent, but it doesn’t feel stifling, and while hardly any of their questions have been answered, he feels like they’ve gotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhere.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something’s shifted at least, something has changed and Obito just has to hope that it’s for the better.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Obito and Rin and Kakashi’s pack.</p><p> </p><p>Ahh this chapter is so short, but I’m also kinda happy with it?? I’m sorry for the length, but I think the next chapter will end up longer. Hopefully.<br/>Anyway,, I know I say this a lot haha but I am so grateful for all of the amazing comments!! They really make me want to continue this story,, you’re all so nice ahhh ✨✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi is probably on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But Kakashi has probably been on the verge of a nervous breakdown for the past two decades now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hands don’t shake, and he likely isn’t showing any sort of outward panic, but his skin feels too hot and his clothes too tight. His heart is a deafening thumping in his ears and his head is pulsing painfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He really hopes he doesn’t pass out again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s hyper aware of his teammates, who are quiet as they bustle about the kitchen, and Obito has even begun sweeping the floor with an old broom he found in the pantry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t know if he’s in a dream or a nightmare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he hates that he can’t help the small twinge he feels to do a double take every time he sees them out of the corner of his eye, so sure he’s seeing a ghost when somehow he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are these your dogs?” Rin murmurs eventually, cutting through the silence that has settled over them. The kitchen is near pristine by now, them having been cleaning together for the past hour or so. Gai is still out, his shopping trip likely having been turned into some sort of challenge by now. Pakkun is out with him as well, and Kakashi hopes Pakkun makes sure Gai gets everything he should need.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi notices that Obito has paused in his sweeping, obviously listening in on their conversation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re my summons.” Kakashi answers, but when he looks at Rin he can’t raise his eye above her shoulders. It makes him feel pathetic, not even able to give her the decency of looking her in the face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s afraid of what he’s going to see there, that when he looks up it’s not going to be her soft and kind face, but something ugly and twisted and </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whoah, really?” Obito gasps from behind him, using that excited voice he uses when he thinks Kakashi has done something truly impressive. It reminds him of his young students, and his chest seizes at the thought of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why haven’t you introduced us yet, then?” Rin chastises, and it really shouldn’t work considering Kakashi is technically over a decade older than her, but it does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can introduce yourselves without my help.” He grumbles, and jumps when Bisuke nips at his ankle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be nice to your friends.” He laughs, dodging Kakashi’s foot when he tries to halfheartedly kick at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They can talk!?” Obito yells, and Kakashi can practically </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear </span>
  </em>
  <span>the sparkles in the other boy’s eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, they can talk.” Kakashi drawls, throwing Obito an unimpressed look even if he can’t look at him any higher than his neck. The effect should be the same, though, Kakashi hopes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can do more than just talk.” Bull wuffs, and Obito’s whole face is bright and open as he looks at the dog, and it makes Kakashi’s heart stop and restart in quick succession. It’s difficult to think that such life could ever be snuffed out, not when Obito has always been so loud and </span>
  <em>
    <span>known. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was always hard to ignore him, not to notice him, and there’s a hole that reopens in Kakashi’s chest as he watches Obito come close to tears as he coos and pets his dogs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s the taste of lost opportunities on his tongue and the feeling of words left unsaid in his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin joins him eventually, smiling and laughing as she introduces herself, the dogs giving up their names as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dead teammates are playing with his dogs on his dead father’s kitchen floor, and Kakashi’s stomach roils and he thinks he’s about to throw up food he doesn't even have.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rival!” Gai bursts into the kitchen, holding over a dozen bags of groceries and Pakkun at the same time, “I have brought what you asked! And a bit extra that I thought you would like!” Gai shouts excitedly, Pakkun dozing from where he’s resting on top of Gai’s head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, thank you.” Kakashi says, taking the opportunity to take his attention off of his teammates who are still invested in introducing themselves to his dogs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai helps him put up the groceries, even if Kakashi tells him he doesn’t have to. It does make the process go faster though, and Obito, Rin, and seven of his ninken have migrated to the living room while he was working.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can hear shouting and barking mixed with the sound of laughter and amused yips, and the happy sounds of </span>
  <em>
    <span>life </span>
  </em>
  <span>filling a place once full of death and nightmares makes his knees feel weak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should go join them.” Kakashi gets out through the vice around his throat, satisfied with the fact that his voice doesn’t shake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai looks at him, his dark eyes analyzing and assessing, “Are you sure?” He says quietly, and Kakashi breathes out, looking away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to start on lunch. You should go join them, I’ll be fine.” He says, keeping his hands still even if he desperately wants to do something to keep them busy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can help—” Gai offers, stepping closer and pumping a fist in the air.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gai, I can handle it.” Pakkun cuts in, voice quiet even though he knows Kakashi can still hear him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi refuses to look at them and instead gets out what he needs to start cooking, ignoring the way Gai’s face scrunches up as he frowns. 

He’s already getting so tired of worrying and disappointing everyone here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I’ll be just in the other room if you need me!” Gai acquiesces, and his hand squeezes Kakashi’s shoulder slightly when he passes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s breath shudders when he breathes out next, and the only people left in the kitchen are him and Pakkun. He leans over one of the counters, trying to catch his breath and slow his racing heartbeat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels overwhelmed, stuffed full with something he doesn’t know the name of and stripped of everything he </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>know. He keeps looking at their faces and all he sees is blood and lightening and a cave, hears their voices, what they had sounded like in their last moments—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know how he’s supposed to keep this up, how he’s supposed to keep himself together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakkun’s head bumps against one of his legs and Kakashi sinks to the floor, pulling the small pug into his arms. One of his hands clenches into the dog’s vest as he rests his cheek on top of Pakkun’s head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The warmth helps, the feeling of something alive in his arms, and he finds himself able to breathe again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Kakashi mumbles into his fur, but he still doesn’t want to let go just yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never have to apologize.” Pakkun says, and he licks lightly at the tips of Kakashi’s fingers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sit there in silence for a few moments, and Kakashi listens to the sounds of Obito’s and Rin’s voices, nearly drowned out by the booming of Gai’s. They’re loud, and Kakashi has never been loud and he’s never been the biggest fan of noise, but he likes the sound of their joy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know,” Pakkun starts quietly, “We never actually got to meet him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t have to specify, Kakashi knows exactly who he’s talking about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He whispers back, hearing the distinct sound of Obito laughing followed by the sound of something crashing to the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi always thought that Obito would have liked his pack, and now he supposes that his thoughts have been confirmed now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He seems nice.” Pakkun muses, “Reminds me a little bit of someone else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts, “Yeah, he does.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakkun hums and then after a beat of silence asks, “You’re going to try and save them, aren’t you?” It doesn't sound much like a question, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Kakashi mumbles, nails scraping gently over Pakkun’s head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to break if you can’t.” Pakkun says, like a statement, like it’s a fact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, probably.” He hums in agreement, “I’m just going to have to not fail then, yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakkun hums back, and then they’re silent. The only sounds are Obito, Rin, and Gai’s laughter drifting through the house.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lunch, Kushina, and clans.</p><p> </p><p>Oof this chapter didn’t go the way I planned,,, but I hope that’s isn’t a bad thing haha?? Also I think this is the longest chapter so far,, and this is also the longest fic I’ve ever written,,, which isn’t that long lmao,,, but anyway thank you again for all of the wonderful and supportive comments I hope you enjoy this chapter!! ✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lunch is ramen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s likely not as good as Ichiraku’s, especially not if you had asked Naruto for his opinion, but Kakashi knows how to make ramen well enough, and maybe he’s feeling just a little bit nostalgic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He used to go out to Ichiraku’s with his own team, as fleeting as those short outings were. He wonders if he’s done even </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> much with them yet. He knows that it hasn’t been long since they were put with Minato if the year has just begun, and even if they had gone to the academy together Kakashi hadn’t spent much time with them during their school days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a meal or two shared back then, and Obito had been rather persistent in finding him and walking home with him or to school when they were younger, but Kakashi had never said much in those moments, just let Obito do all of the talking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin was always kind, caring, but she had also been quieter than Obito ever was. She’d always been good at watching over Obito and him, though. She was there for Obito when Kakashi was being too stubborn to be there, too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s grateful for that, that Obito wasn’t completely alone before he had died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that ramen?” Obito asks, poking in from the kitchen archway and smiling, flushed from whatever games he had likely been roped into by Gai and his breathing is slightly labored. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums in lieu of an answer, separating the noodles into their own bowls. Kakashi almost wishes Obito would walk right back out, but he’s not surprised when he doesn’t.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know,” Obito starts as he wanders into the kitchen, “You haven’t cooked for us in a while.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can see Obito out of the corner of his eye, shifting side to side nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Kakashi says quietly, but Obito’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>a while </span>
  </em>
  <span>is a significantly shorter amount of time than Kakashi’s. It’s been over two decades since the last time he can recall cooking for his team, and it was before they were ever actually put on a squad together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can feel Obito’s eyes on him, more intelligent than Kakashi had given him credit for when he was an actual child. Looking back, Obito was never a truly horrible ninja, he just hadn’t met Kakashi’s made up ideals of what a true ninja was supposed to be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito didn’t lack in skill, and his passion and love for other people had made him a greater ninja than Kakashi had ever wanted to admit. Hindsight and all that, Kakashi supposes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were good at it.” Obito comments stiltedly, seemingly unsure of what to say to a Kakashi who isn’t acting like he’s used to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, just a little, behind his mask where no one else can see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m proficient enough.” Kakashi says, positioning all the bowls on a tray so he can easily maneuver all of them onto the dining table at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since when were you humble?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums in faux thought, “Just now, I guess.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s about to grab the tray when Obito says, “Why won’t you look at us?” Completely bluntly, but Kakashi really shouldn’t expect anything less from him. He doesn’t freeze, he’s been shaking apart ever since he got here, but he has to at least retain </span>
  <em>
    <span>some </span>
  </em>
  <span>amount of control over himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?” Kakashi responds stubbornly, forcing himself to look up at Obito for the first time in the past hour and a half. Kakashi’s single open eye focuses on Obito’s obsidian black ones, and his heart ticks up even when he wills it not to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Black, not red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Obito’s sharingan, still activated even after he’s been crushed, his soft and raspy voice and the blood trickling from his mouth as he tells Kakashi he won’t give him just any useless gift—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” Obito murmurs, his dark brows drawn together and his lips pulled into a frown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Kakashi rasps after a half second pause, and it makes him notice his nails are digging into the meat of his hands with enough force to break the skin. He forces his fingers to relax, and he can feel blood dripping down his palm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s the same hand he had driven into Rin’s chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabs the tray he had fixed to keep himself from running to the sink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is just </span>
  <em>
    <span>staring</span>
  </em>
  <span> at him and Kakashi takes his silence as an opportunity to walk into the dining room and place the food down onto the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lunch is ready.” He calls, and the barking and voices he had been hearing previously abruptly stop and are followed by the sound of over a dozen nails clicking against the floor and the sound of Gai and Rin padding into the dining room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito walks in from behind him, leaving the kitchen, and he thankfully doesn’t say anything. He feels eyes on him as he sets a bowl in front of each chair, but he pretends not to notice. The furniture is old, but Kakashi had made sure to clean it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dining table had always been too big for just Kakashi and his father, and then after his father had died it became achingly empty. It’s fuller than it’s ever been now, with Rin, Gai, and Obito sitting around it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi takes a seat at the head of the table, and he remembers his father sitting here when they had the time to eat with each other. The memories are faded, and there was a time where Kakashi wondered if he didn’t look so much like his father if he’d even be able to remember the man’s face, but the memories are still there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sit at the back of his mind, maybe, but he still remembers the sound of his father's laugh, what it was like before he fell into depression. Kakashi remembers a time before he ever became a soldier, a tool, and he remembers the brilliance of his father, how kind he always was to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He got to talk to him, when he died, and Kakashi doesn’t have to wonder what his father’s face looks like anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t have to wonder whether or not his father is proud of him anymore, because now he knows that he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for the food!” He can hear the three of them say in unison, but Kakashi doesn’t make any more sound than a quiet murmur. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi wonders what would have happened if he had really died, if he had been able to stay with Rin, Obito, Minato, and Kushina wherever it was that he had ended up when he had died. He had moved on, he had died, he was with the people he had missed most in his life, and now he’s alive again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can hear them begin to eat, but Kakashi only stares into his bowl, steam wafting into his face. He thinks of Naruto, and hopes that wherever he is that he’s okay. He has no idea what’s happened to the people in his original timeline, and he honestly doesn’t want to think about it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is amazing, rival!” Gai exclaims, not one to stay silent for long.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly! I think you’re a little better than </span>
  <em>
    <span>just proficient, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bakakashi.” Obito grumbles, and Kakashi can hear the clack of chopsticks even if he won’t look up at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not.” Kakashi mumbles, “Maa, thank you though.” He says, louder and with a forced sort of cheer in his tone that’s second nature at this point. His eye curves like it always does, and he can hear Obito make a frustrated noise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, are you not hungry?” Rin asks softly, and he doesn’t doubt she’s trying to keep Obito from saying something too brash.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, not really. I’ll eat later.” He answers, somewhat honestly. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to keep down anything he eats, and he really doesn’t want to puke again today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A strong shinobi needs sustenance!” Gai shouts, “Especially one who is still in their youth!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs, “I’ll eat later, I’ll be fine.” Kakashi waves a lazy hand, and slides out of his chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just need some air. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the one cooking in the kitchen while you all were playing.” Kakashi answers, and shunshins out of the house before anyone can say anything else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t go far, appears in a tree only a few yards away from the house, but he already feels better being outside. He rests his back against the bark of the trees and breathes in steadily, focusing on the sound of bugs buzzing and the gentle wind instead of his racing thoughts. He can smell a faint trace of food, from the compound and from the village. Winter is almost over, and the air feels crisp and biting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re welcome distractions, and Kakashi wishes he had something to read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The peace is swiftly broken by someone roaring, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Kakashi!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s the voice of Uzumaki Kushina, and he startles, looking down and coming face to face with an infuriated red hot habanero. Kakashi is technically older than her, and yet he can still feel himself gulp nervously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You either get down here, or I’m coming up there.” She growls, her thin red brows drawn together and her mouth pulled into a scowl that reveals her sharp canines.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi drops to the ground quickly, not willing to test an Uzumaki's patience, and immediately tilts his head forward and down. He doesn’t want to look at her, because even if he hadn’t seen her die in front of him, her death was just as much his fault as it was everyone else’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t protect her, just how he couldn’t protect anyone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knows that she won’t hurt him, but he almost wishes that she would. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” He whispers, and his breath catches when he almost says </span>
  <em>
    <span>for not protecting you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>“For not telling you where I was going before I left.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His head is still bowed, out of respect, out of shame, and he can hear Kushina huff. He doesn’t know what the sound means, can’t see her expression, but he feels her place a hand on the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The motion makes Kakashi jump, but she doesn’t pull away. No one’s touched his head like that since his father died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to apologize, kid.” She says quietly, and she pushes her hand through his hair, fluffing the silver strands up even more than usual, “And you can lift your head up, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s so many things to apologize for, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and he should be on his knees at her feet, begging for forgivenss, but he looks up like she asks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes are deep violet and the same shape as Naruto’s, kind and curved, and Kakashi immediately wants to look away. He doesn’t, and Kushina smiles at him, small and subdued and she shouldn’t look so concerned for him, not when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> he doesn’t deserve it—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just glad you’re not hurt.” Kushina says, and her hand eventually leaves Kakashi’s hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods, but he doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t even know if he would be able to force any noise out of his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you seen Rin and Obito?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods and swallows, “They’re at the compound.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina stares at him in confusion for a moment before her eyes widen in realization, “What are they doing there?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because they were looking for me.” He answers simply.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What were </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> doing there?” She leaves out the part about how he hasn’t stepped foot in the place since his father had died, but Kakashi knows that’s what she’s referring to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> my clan ground, and since I’m the last living Hatake, I’m technically clan head now.” He says, rocking back on his feet nonchalantly. Well, he tries to at least. His heart is still a too loud thump in his ears, but he tries to not let it show. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you—” She pauses and just looks at Kakashi for a moment, “You’re interested in living in the compound again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, looks off to the side so he doesn’t have to look at her and says in a feigned bored tone, “I’m interested in expanding the clan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He isn’t looking at Kushina but he can hear her gasp, sucking in a sharp breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You—you want to expand your clan?” She murmurs, sounding shocked and confused but her voice holds an undercurrent of curiosity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods stiffly, and is almost frightened that she’s going to ridicule him, tell him he’s being ridiculous, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi</span>
  </em>
  <span> doesn’t even know where the idea came from—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can feel strong arms wrap around his waist before he’s being hoisted into the air by an excited Uzumaki, “Kakashi that’s wonderful!” She cries, twirling him around in a big circle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It makes him feel dizzy but also—</span>
  <em>
    <span>warm. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like he’s bursting with it, like Kushina’s happiness might as well be his own. It reminds him a lot of Naruto.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kushina.” He wheezes, patting her on the back, because as much as he doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate</span>
  </em>
  <span> this, she’s starting to crush him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry.” She puts him down carefully, but her eyes are still bright and a little glassy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sniffles, but her smile is wide and it takes up her whole face, “Do you have any ideas, yet?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi chews on his lip, “I already have an idea of who I want to join.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes sparkle, “Can you tell me who?” She asks excitedly, looking as if she’s enraptured with whatever he has to say. He warms a little under her attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obito.” He answers immediately, and he’ll fight every Uchiha he knows will object to it, “And Rin, and Gai. Minato, if he wants to. And—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He breathes in and shifts on his feet, “I know you’re an Uzumaki, but if you wanted—you could—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi.” She says softly, her hand falling on his head again, “I’d be honored to join your clan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks up at her and her face is soft and round and open, and he smiles even if she can only see his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knows she’ll always be an Uzumaki, but maybe she can be a Hatake, too. And maybe she’s just happy to be a part of a clan again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I’m sure Minato and Rin will say yes.” She starts, and then punches a fist into the palm of her hand, “And I’ll punch any dumb Uchiha who tries to keep Obito from joining.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi huffs in amusement, and he can’t help imagining Kushina punching some stuffy old Uchiha in the face for trying to disagree with her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But,” She continues, sounding more serious now, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about how strange you’ve been acting.” She says, pinching the left side of Kakashi’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He drawls, playfully batting her hand away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, I have to go beat Rin and Obito senseless for not immediately telling me when they found you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods sagely, “I’ll lead the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He leads her back through the trees, and his heart feels strangely lighter. His chest isn’t so tight, and his head doesn’t feel like he’s been banging it against a wall anymore. He doesn’t feel perfect, and he knows there’s still a lot he’s going to have to answer for, but he’s getting somewhere.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thinks of Rin and Obito, Kushina and Minato, Gai, and he thinks </span>
  <em>
    <span>clan.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thinks </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kushina would have made a great mom.</p><p> </p><p>Short chapter! I apologize for that,,, but also I’ve realized that there is,,, no action in this story so far. I had it pointed out to me last chapter and just,,, Ah I’m so worried this is boring. I’ll try to make things more eventful? Hopefully? I just love emotional based things that I just haven’t made it a priority and now I’m kinda worrying about it haha. Regardless,, I do hope you enjoy this chapter! And as always, I adore reading comments they all make my day ✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I want to tell them.” Kakashi says once Kushina and him have made it closer to the compound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turns to him, frowning slightly but nodding anyway, “I wasn’t going to tell them, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi lets out a breath, “Thank you. I just—wanted to be the one to tell them.” His eye curves when he looks at Kushina, and although she gives him a strange look she doesn’t mention it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hears the low murmur of quieted voices when they approach the compound, his superior hearing able to pick up the sound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we should wait—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But he could just be running away again, Rin!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have faith in my rival! I trust that he is truly only going to be gone for a brief moment!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He snorts before he can help it at the sound of their bickering, and leads Kushina through the front door. The sound of the door opening causes the voices to fall silent. It doesn’t last long before there’s three sets of footsteps moving into the main room, Obito standing in the front.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s ninken aren’t behind them, and Kakashi has to stifle a sigh. Of course they’d leave him to deal with Kushina and everyone else on his own. Typical.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito opens his mouth, likely to yell at Kakashi about leaving and then tack on a few insults for good measure, before he seems to notice Kushina standing behind him. He visibly shrinks, and even though Kakashi is turned away from her he can feel the heavy presence of an angry Uzumaki at his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Kushina-san.” He mumbles, and Rin looks properly chastised even if Kushina hasn’t even uttered a word yet, her eyes darting up before slinking right back down. Gai doesn’t know Kushina as well as they do, and yet he still looks hesitant to say anything in the wake of what must be an incredibly effective glare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Having fun, you three?” She says, and Kakashi has to fight not to bow his head like a scolded child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi somehow ends up drifting towards the group of children, and Kushina is staring down at all of them. Mostly Minato’s team, but Gai isn’t completely exempt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is obviously not off the hook, and he truly hadn’t expected anything else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, I started looking for you two as well.” She crosses her arms, face looking pinched, “I thought I had lost all three of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Rin mumbles, twisting her fingers together, and Obito looks like he’s on the verge of tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We forgot to tell you.” Obito whispers, his voice choked like he can’t bring himself to talk any louder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was not aware that we were supposed to tell you something. I apologize, Uzumaki-san.” Gai bows deeply, not even knowing what he’s supposed to be apologizing for and yet able to sound incredibly sincere despite it. Kakashi feels warm fondness fill his chest for a brief moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina huffs, obvious in her amusement despite her previous ire, “I’m not mad at you, Gai.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then she turns to Obito, Rin, and Kakashi who are standing in a small huddle, even if Kakashi can’t remember when they had ended up like that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now, you three.” Kushina says severely, and Kakashi hasn’t felt like this since he was a small child. It’s a strange feeling, and he suddenly sympathizes with his little genin team he had given so much trouble to when they were young.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t say anything, just lets the silence sit for a few moments, and he can hear Obito gulp. He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>starting to sympathize with his cute little genin team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come here.” She says quietly, and it’s as if all three heads snap up at once. Kushina is smiling, her mouth twitching as if she’s trying to keep in her laughter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s crouched down onto the floor, her arms stretched out towards them, and Obito is the first to dive forward, nearly crushing his face into her collarbone. Kushina takes it in stride, a hand ruffling through the Uchiha’s dark hair with a fond smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her violet eyes drift back up towards them and Rin follows next, much more careful than her teammate. She tucks herself in next to Obito, leaning against one of Kushina’s arms and putting one of her own arms across Obito’s shoulders, the other wrapping around Kushina’s neck. Kushina kisses the top of Rin’s head, gentle and motherly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi aches at the thought, because she had deserved to become a mother so </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she would have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>so good</span>
  </em>
  <span> at it if only Kakashi had been able to </span>
  <em>
    <span>protect her—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then she looks up at Kakashi, over Obito’s head, and Kakashi’s heart stutters in his chest. She’s smiling, small and soft and open, and Kakashi misses seeing that look on her face. She had looked like that a lot, when she was pregnant with Naruto, talking to her belly, already so in love with her son before he was ever even born.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He used to hear her talk to him, talk to Naruto, for hours. She’d do it all day, no matter what it was she was doing, and he’d catch snippets of her conversations. It’d be inane things, stories from her youth, or she’d explain what she was cooking, talk about what book she had read recently. And Kakashi would catch a glimpse of her face, of the expression she wore each time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And now she’s looking at Kakashi, and her face looks just like she had then. She’s looking at him the same way she had looked when she thought of her unborn son. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi stands still, ramrod straight and tense, his heart an uneven pulse behind his ribs. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>—he doesn’t</span>
  <em>
    <span> deserve</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina reaches out and her fingers curl around his, not pulling but encouraging him and her eyes are so bright, so much like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Naruto—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sinks into her other arm, almost afraid he wouldn’t be able to stand otherwise. He presses up against her and Obito, and he can feel Rin’s hand at the base of his neck so that she’s able to touch both Obito and him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s warm. It feels like warmth incarnate, as if the heat has somehow sunk into Kakashi’s bones, molten and spreading sluggishly throughout his whole body. His chest feels stuffed with starbursts, and his eyes burn with something he doesn’t know the name of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He never had this the first time around. He never allowed himself to have anything like this, and now he can’t fathom </span>
  <em>
    <span>why. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He feels safe in Kushina’s arms, feels safe pressed up against Obito’s side, feels so </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span> with Rin’s fingers scratching through the hair at the nape of his neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t want to, and he doesn’t know why, but hot tears are cascading down his face before he can stop them. They burn tracks down his cheeks, and once they start they won’t stop. It’s been so long since he’s cried, he doesn’t even remember the last time he has but everything feels like </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels Gai on his other side, a heavy palm rubbing down his back. It makes him shake, and even though he’s biting on his lip so hard he can taste blood he still whimpers. He feels Obito’s hand close over his, can feel Rin’s thumb rubbing soothingly at the base of his neck, Kushina’s lips at his temple, and it just makes him cry harder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re okay, Kakashi.” Kushina whispers into his hair, voice a soothing cadence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bites back a sob, swallows, and burrows his face into Kushina’s dress. He feels like a child, even if he feels like he never truly had the chance to be one. Obito squeezes his hand in his, and Kakashi squeezes back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stay like that for a long time, and Kakashi doesn’t want to leave their warmth, not when he’s been cold for so long.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Obito has Thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>Um this feels like more of a transitional chapter more than anything haha,,, I hope to add a bit more going on to the next chapter because this is mostly just me wanting to write more Obito POV haha. Which Obito is my favorite Naruto character right next to Kakashi actually, I adore both of them and I can’t choose between them.<br/>And I’m glad to hear a lot of people don’t seem to be bothered with the pacing and the focus being put more on characters than plot! I do plan to put more action in this I’m just not promising it’ll be so soon into this fic. 😅<br/>Anyway I do hope you enjoy this chapter regardless!✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obito’s never seen Kakashi cry before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito has cried multiple times in front of his team, even if he doesn’t always like to admit to it. And Kakashi was always there to tell him that </span>
  <em>
    <span>shinobi don’t cry, </span>
  </em>
  <span>which Obito has never really agreed with. Obito thinks a shinobi should cry whenever they need to, but he’s not holding his breath on getting Kakashi to agree with that sentiment anytime soon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And now Kakashi is choking back sobs he can’t hold in, his hand holding onto Obito’s so hard that it’s starting to go numb. It’s almost frightening, seeing Kakashi lose his typically perfectly sculpted composure and aloofness. But he’s still so quiet, making small little noises that he’s obviously trying to hide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In some way, Obito thinks that’s the worst part, that he won’t allow himself to completely let go even in his lowest moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is shaking, his shoulders, his hands, trembling even when he’s pressed so closely up against each of them. He looks so small, </span>
  <em>
    <span>has Kakashi always been this small? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’s never thought of Kakashi as small, not when he has always seemed so much larger than life, larger than any of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was always so smart, a genius and a prodigy who surpassed them all easily, more talented than people even twice his age.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And right now he looks every bit of the young child Obito forgot that he was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can hear the soft lilt of Kushina’s voice, murmuring gentle words into Kakashi’s hair, and he doesn’t try to make out the words because they’re not meant for him. Obito wants to say something too, something comforting, but the words catch in his throat. He doesn’t really know what to say, and he can’t get anything past his own tears anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi goes silent after only a few minutes, but he doesn’t pull away. Obito doesn’t ask him to, nor does anyone else. Obito can’t feel his hand, but he holds onto Kakashi despite that, doesn’t make him let go even when he’s holding on too tightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s tears dry up eventually as well, and he croaks out a quiet, “Kakashi?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi tenses up, and Obito can both see it and feel it. His body goes completely rigid, and he pulls back abruptly, his hand twitching before loosening in Obito’s hold. Obito doesn’t let him go, doesn’t let him pull all the way back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai still has a hand on Kakashi's back, and Rin is still reaching over Obito so that her fingers skim Kakashi’s shoulder. Kushina’s hand is curled carefully over Kakashi’s elbow, urging him to stay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you’re fine, you don’t need to leave.” She says kindly, and Obito imagines it’s what a mother must sound like. He wouldn’t know, but if he ever did have a mother he would hope they would be like Kushina, even if he’ll never admit to having those thoughts out loud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s brows furrow, and Obito wishes—not for the first time—that he could see more of the boy’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—don’t—” He huffs out a harsh breath, “I’m fi—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you say you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine </span>
  </em>
  <span>again, I’ll punch you.” Obito interrupts, only slightly bluffing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It startles a laugh out of Kakashi, slightly strangled and sounding splintered. He’s never really heard Kakashi laugh before, and certainly not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound makes something in his gut twist violently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi—” Kushina starts, but Kakashi barrels over her, “Where’s Minato-sensei?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pauses, her mouth hanging open and even if Obito knows that it’s a distraction he can’t help but feel bad about the fact that Minato is likely still stuck by himself back at Kakashi's apartment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he’s back at your apartment.” Kushina mumbles, sounding just a bit guilty, “We should probably go tell him you’re alright.” She doesn’t sound happy about it, likely realizing Kakashi was just diverting her attention away from him, but she aquises regardless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one moves for a moment, and Obito almost doesn’t want to. Kakashi’s hand is still a warm weight in his and Rin and Kushina are still so close to him. He doesn’t get affection like this often, and he feels like a lizard soaking up sun on a warm rock, comfortable and unwilling to move.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s hand squeezes his one last time before he’s breaking away, and everyone else is forced to follow suit. He immediately feels cold, but he tries to ignore it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi avoids everyone’s gaze before mumbling, “I’ll pack up the food I made.” Before scurrying off to the kitchen. Obito’s eyes follow him, and he’s swept through with worry that he wishes would just go away already. He’s never had to worry this much about Kakashi before, and he’s already come to the conclusion that it is incredibly tiring to care about the well being of Hatake Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Food?” Kushina questions with interest, and even if Obito can see concern in the lines of her face her voice is light. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Gai yells excitedly, voice an unignorable boom, “My ever gracious rival made ramen for lunch! Were you aware of his talents in the kitchen?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, actually.” Kushina says, and then she’s cracking her knuckles, “But my cute little chuunins made ramen and didn’t tell me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito gulps, and Rin shifts back and forth from where she’s standing next to him. Gai mostly just looks confused, but he’s still smiling. Obito thinks he kinda looks like a lost puppy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi pads in quietly from the kitchen, holding a plastic bowl of what they had for lunch packed in it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He holds it out to Kushina as if it’s some form of peace offering, “It should be fine to reheat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina purses her lips and takes the container, inspecting it with dramatic suspicion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” She hums in faux contemplation, squinting at Kakashi and trying to hide her smile, “This’ll do as far as apologies go.” She chuckles, reaching out and scrubbing her hand through Kakashi’s wild silver strands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito can see a hint of pink spread over what’s visible of his teammate’s cheekbones, and he feels a little stunned at the sight of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We really should get back to Minato.” Kushina sighs, “He’s probably pulled all of his hair out by now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito agrees with that sentiment, knowing Minato-sensei he’s probably on the verge of passing out over worrying too much.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And don’t even think of running away again! I’ll drag you back if you do!” Obito says, punching Kakashi lightly on the arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m terrified.” Kakashi deadpans, looking at him with one lazy eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin giggles before she can properly stifle it and Obito squawks, “Rin! You’re supposed to be on my side!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am!” Rin protests, but her voice quivers with repressed laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina has a hand placed over her mouth, but it does nothing to hide her obvious mirth, “I think you’re plenty threatening.” She says, ruffling his hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah.” Obito grumbles, swatting at her hand half-heartedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts and Obito shoots him a glare, vowing that he’s going to be twice as late than he usually is to every training session for the next week.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But we should really get going.” Kushina says after she’s wrangled in her amusement, “You can come as well, Gai, if you want to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate the offer! But I must return home to my father!” Gai bows to Kushina, hands held out in front of him, before he turns to Kakashi, “And Kakashi, I hope to see you again tomorrow, and that you will be feeling better.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi waves him off, “Maa, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai smiles at Kakashi before he says goodbye to Obito and Rin, a bundle of eternal energy, and he’s harping about how he’s going to challenge himself to get home quicker than he had yesterday as he leaves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Obito looks over at Kakashi there’s something like fondness present in his lone eye, and Obito tries to scour his mind to find when Kakashi had started to like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gai </span>
  </em>
  <span>of all people, and comes up empty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, Obito supposes, he can’t really complain. His pride is still a little wounded over the chuunin exams, but as far as friends go, Gai certainly isn’t the worst choice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You three ready to go?” Kushina smiles, propping the container of ramen against her hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin nods and Obito says, “Yeah, sure.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina turns to Kakashi next and he rocks back onto his heel. He hums and then whistles, “Are all of you coming with us?” He calls into the house, and eight dogs come clicking into the main room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito almost forgot about the pack of dogs Kakashi had never told them about were still in the dining room. And he’s decided that he likes them a lot, and will probably get mad at Kakashi about keeping eight cute dogs a secret from them later. Maybe when Obito won’t feel so guilty when he so much as raises his voice at the other boy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can stay, if you want us to, boss.” The pug, Pakkun if Obito remembers correctly, says quietly.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito feels like there’s another meaning in the words that he doesn’t really get, if the way that Kakashi is looking at the tiny dog means anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi waves his hand, “Maa, you can go if you want.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s here that Kushina seems to get over her surprise and yells, “Wait! You have eight dogs and you never told me!?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi winces, turning slightly toward Kushina, “It never… came up, is all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina pouts, looking a strange mix between completely innocent and infuriated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to meet you, Kushina-san.” Pakkun wuffs, bowing his head in a way that is incredibly adorable and Obito has to stop himself from cooing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Kushina smiles, “It’s nice to meet you too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to touch my paw?” He asks, holding out his paw pad towards her, “It’s soft and supple.” He waves it, just a bit, and Obito can see Kakashi put his face in his hands out of the corner of his eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito doesn’t really pay attention to him, though, too busy crouching down and taking advantage of being able to touch the dog’s paw. He’s way too amused with himself when he can hear Kakashi groan as his teammates and Kushina give all of their attention to his puppies.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We really should go.” Kakashi drawls after a few minutes, arms crossed and looking a little bit more like himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Kushina says somberly, kissing Bisuke on the head where he’s cradled in her arms. The dog yips happily and Kushina looks properly charmed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you’re right.” Rin scratches Bull’s chin, before she’s backing away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yes, lets go.” Kakashi urges, “Now all of you, shoo.” Kakashi waves his hands around until everyone is separated from his dogs. Obito whines, just to be contrary, and Kakashi glares at him for it. It hardly loses any of its effect even with only one eye open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Call us if you need us, boss.” Pakkun says, bumping his head into Kakashi’s ankles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods, fingers skimming the pug’s head when he reaches down, and all of the dogs disappear into a puff of smoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re introducing them to Minato.” Kushina declares, and Kakashi doesn’t even try to argue, just sighs and looks resigned to his fate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He would love them, you know.” Kushina continues, turning to Rin, the young girl smiling up at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They amble out of the compound first, Kushina gesticulating excitedly and Rin listening with a look of contentment on her soft face. She really is quite pretty when she looks like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito flushes and turns away quickly, looking at Kakashi instead. He’s staring at the two girls as they get farther away, something in his eyes sad and shattered, like he’s looking at an old picture, or remembering a faded memory.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Bakakashi.” Obito jerks his head towards them, “We should go, too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi seems to snap back to reality, blinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” he whispers, and when Kakashi looks at him his eyes on him feel different than they ever have before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looking at him has never felt like a good thing before, because if Kakashi was looking at him then it meant that he was probably doing something wrong. A scathing remark would likely follow, and Kakashi’s judging gaze had always felt heavy and stifling. Kakashi was always good at making him feel like he wasn’t enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, he feels more like Kakashi is looking at him and he’s seeing a precious memory, like Obito is something he hasn’t seen in a very long time. Like Obito is going to float away any moment, turn to dust before his eyes, and he’ll never see him again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know which is worse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi falls into step beside him when Obito turns away, and their fingers brush every other second. Neither of them pull away, and they’re silent as they walk beside each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito can hear Rin and Kushina’s laughter and his own heartbeat in his ears. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minato and Kakashi and the beginnings of a Conversation.</p><p> </p><p>Uhh, I have mixed feelings about this chapter. I don’t hate I don’t think, but I don’t really know what to think about it. I did finally get to write in Minato’s POV again tho,,,<br/>Anyway, I do hope you enjoy regardless! And of course all of the comments I get are all lovely and I love reading them! 🥰✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Minato is way too young for his hair to be falling out, and yet he’s almost a hundred percent certain that he’s going to be bald by the end of the day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s cleaned Kakashi’s kitchen twice over by now, has reorganized the food in his cabinets, and has tidied up his already immaculate living room. It doesn’t help that Kakashi barely owns any personal items, the only personalized thing he’s found being a few novels, his father’s tanto, and their team photo. It warms his heart that Kakashi keeps the photo on his nightstand, but it doesn’t last long when he reminds himself that he has no idea where his youngest student is right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stops himself from biting at his nails for the umpteemth time that day and throws his head back against the back of Kakashi’s couch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tries to comfort himself by thinking of how self sufficient Kakashi has always been. Kakashi’s never been like children his age, but that suddenly makes him worry more because </span>
  <em>
    <span>what is an emotionally volatile Kakashi even like?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato doesn’t know, and he can feel his concern writhing and twisting uncomfortably in his gut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least he was able to fix Kakashi’s front door. It makes him feel a little more useful than just waiting around for his student to return.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s verging on four hours when Minato’s head snaps up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato is off of the couch as soon as he can feel Kushina’s chakra, starbright and warm, and he’s ripping open the front door before any of them can even knock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina looks like she expected him while Obito and Rin are staring up at him with wide, surprised eyes. Kakashi just looks tired.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey there.” Kushina says, smiling at the fact that Minato probably looks like a fish with how much he’s opening and closing his mouth, no words coming out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hi.” He mumbles eventually, and she laughs. He can hear the distinct sound of Rin and Obito giggling, and he’s sure he even hears a quiet snort from Kakashi’s direction. He doesn’t really care that they’re laughing at his expense though, because Kakashi is </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stares, for just a moment, and Kushina looks amused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh—um—” He stammers, scratching the back of his head nervously, “I guess you should um—come inside.” He moves out of their way, feeling stilted and awkward, and they trail inside. Minato doesn’t really blame himself when he can’t help but look over Kakashi when he walks past, trying to see if there are any visible injuries.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only thing that’s visibly wrong is the fact that Kakashi’s left eye is still closed and his mask looks strangely damp around his cheeks. Like he’s been </span>
  <em>
    <span>crying. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It makes his chest squeeze, something tight and hot settling in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sniffs the air, his head tilting up curiously, “Did you clean my apartment?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato flushes red when Kakashi looks back at him, “I was just uh—nervous. I hope you don’t mind.” Minato scrubs a hand through his hair, a tick he can’t seem to hide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. It’s fine.” Kakashi mumbles. His student shifts, and he looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>anxious, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and although he’s concealing it well it still peaks through in the curl of his shoulders, the pinch of his brow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go reheat this in the kitchen.” Kushina pipes up, holding up a container of ramen and giving Minato a </span>
  <em>
    <span>look, </span>
  </em>
  <span>“You two can come with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But—” Obito protests, but Rin grabs his wrist and he immediately quiets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can help set the table. I’m sure Minato-sensei and Kushina-san missed lunch.” She says, her voice light as she leads Obito towards the kitchen, following Kushina.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi and Minato are left standing in the doorway, and he knows that Kushina did it on purpose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re quiet, and Minato tries to put words together that won’t come. All of his genius, and yet he has no idea how to help his student who looks so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi—” he manages to get out, until he’s stunned into silence when small arms wrap tightly around his waist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s head is pressed into his stomach and his </span>
  <em>
    <span>(tiny) </span>
  </em>
  <span>hands are clutching at the back of his shirt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s hugging him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi’s hugging him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi—” he gasps, feeling a little breathless and out of his depth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t—just don’t say anything.” Kakashi breathes out, heavy and shaky, “I just want—for just a little bit—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato’s hand settles into Kakashi’s hair without thinking, instinctively reaching out to comfort when he hears the trembling sound of Kakashi’s voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi makes a quiet noise that sounds wounded, something between a whine and a whimper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Minato whispers, and he doesn’t say anything for a long moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can hear the other three in the kitchen, the sound of talking and the clinking of dishes and chopsticks. Kakashi’s hair is soft under his hand, and Minato thinks he can feel wetness against his abdomen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t say anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Sensei.” Kakashi breaks the silence, voice a quiet murmur, “What would you do if you could fix everything?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato stills for a brief moment, brows scrunching together in his confusion, before he continues to run his hand through Kakashi’s hair. This conversation is important, what Kakashi has just said means </span>
  <em>
    <span>something, </span>
  </em>
  <span>even if Minato can’t decipher what it is just yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” He asks, almost fearful that Kakashi will backtrack and pretend like he hadn’t said anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi squeezes him tighter, burying his head into his stomach in a way that Minato is sure is supposed to be him hiding, not wanting to look up at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean—if you had a second chance. If you did everything wrong the first time and you had a second chance to fix it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato contemplates over his answer, and he has the distinct feeling that whatever he answers with, he has to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>right. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mistakes help us grow.” He starts, and Kakashi tenses up in his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But,” he says softly, rubbing a comforting hand over Kakashi’s taut shoulders, “If I could save my precious people, I’d do anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi breathes out, hands clenching and unclenching in the back of Minato’s shirt, “Am I precious to you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s voice is near silent, but despite the volume of it Minato still hears it and he feels like his breath has been punched out of him, and he nearly wheezes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi—” He tries to push his student back, just enough so that he can see his face, but Kakashi stubbornly doesn’t budge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You, and Rin, and Obito are </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> precious to me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi makes a choked noise, “Even if I don’t deserve it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Even if—” Minato repeats, breathing out harshly, “Kakashi, there’s nothing you could do to make you mean any less to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Kakashi mumbles into his shirt, and Minato despairs at the fact that he hardly sounds convinced.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, where is this even coming from?” Minato asks, and feels a vice around his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato has tried not to be overly affectionate with Kakashi because he was sure his student would never appreciate it, that it’d make him uncomfortable at best and angry at worst. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But was that the wrong thing to do? He knows he’s more affectionate with Rin and Obito, because he knows that they like it and he would never complain about being loving towards his students, but had Kakashi seen that and thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>Minato didn’t care?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thought makes something heavy settle in his stomach, and he feels like he’s about to be sick.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is quiet, and Minato can feel him shivering up against him, shaking like a leaf and feeling so </span>
  <em>
    <span>small </span>
  </em>
  <span>under his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, did I—did I do something to make you think that?” He whispers, failing to make his voice go any louder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi jerks, “No—no it’s not your fault—I didn’t mean—” His breath shudders, and he makes a hiccuping sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi you need to breathe.” Minato reminds him gently when his breath grows more frantic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s mouth clicks shut audibly, trying to breathe and follow Minato’s instructions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi heaves in one last breath before he pulls away and Minato is finally able to see his student’s face. What is visible of his cheeks is stained blotchy red, his eye glassy, and when a stray tear leaks out Minato wipes it away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato tries to pull away quickly, so used to comforting Obito when he cries that he had reached out without thinking, but Kakashi catches his wrist. He holds it like he did yesterday, his fingers closing around Minato’s pulse, but he’s not holding on too tightly this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In fact, Kakashi is incredibly careful, holding Minato’s hand like it’s made of glass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re precious to me, too.” He whispers, and Minato’s eyes widen, his mouth falling open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to say anything.” Kakashi says, and Minato knows a plea when he hears it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So he doesn’t say anything.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi removes his mask, figuratively and literally.</p><p>Uhh,, this update took a little longer than usual, and I apologize for that! But I finally finished it, I just really didn’t know what to do with this chapter haha. I also put a Kakashi headcanon that I very much love in this one, and I really hope no one is horribly bothered by it but I really wanted to include it ahh,,<br/>But enough of my rambling,, I really do hope you enjoy this chapter! And thank you all sm for the continued support and all of the lovely comments!! ✨💗</p><p>Also happy belated birthday Naruto! 🍥✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi has cried twice in the last twenty four hours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s probably a record. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s also mortifyingly embarrassed, and if he sunk into the floor right at Minato’s feet he would be rather content to just go ahead and die for a second time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Is it too early to be joking about that?)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scrubs at his eye and curses the dampness of his mask, the tightening he can feel in his chest and throat. It only makes him feel worse, like it’s evidence of his weakness so easily being put on display.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” His sensei hesitantly murmurs, and his soft voice feels like a blow to the head. Kakashi’s vision goes blotchy for a moment, little black and white circles dancing across the floor he can’t lift his eyes from.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, you haven’t even had lunch yet.” Kakashi drawls, or tries to at least. The words scratch in his throat, croak when he pushes them out. “I’m sure they’re done by now.” He finally looks up, his head feeling like concrete, heavy and fuzzy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes won’t trail higher than Minato’s shoulders, and his fingers curl at his sides. Something hot cradles uncomfortably in his gut, something like shame, scorching and burning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to take up any more of your time.” His eye crinkles, and it stings due to the irritation of crying and then rubbing at it too hard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re no bother to me Kakashi.” Minato says quietly, and Kakashi feels a tremor go through his whole body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hates this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hates himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, sensei.” He responds simply, not knowing what else to say. He’s tired and aching and he turns his head, trying to catch sight of the kitchen just down the hall. He can hear the sound of their voices, Kushina’s and Obito’s and Rin’s, hushed but light and happy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” Minato asks, and Kakashi can almost see his wince, his teacher looking as if he’s aware of the redundancy of his question but he can’t stop himself from asking anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, but any words he instinctively tries to push out stick to his throat. He’s not alright, he knows that, Minato knows that, anyone with working eyes probably knows it too. It makes Kakashi feel exposed, stripped and flayed and raw. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hates it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t like being put on display, the center of attention, and he’s barely been able to contain his emotions since he’s got here. Perhaps he should have expected that, probably shouldn’t blame himself for it. He’s in a strange and delicate situation he had no reason to believe he would ever be put in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(It still makes him feel weak, regardless).</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But there are so many dead people who are alive right now, and he hardly knows what he’s supposed to do with himself. And he had died, he had moved on, and then he was suddenly ripped back into life and he almost wishes he had never woken back up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But there are people here to live for, even if they don’t know just how precious they are to him just yet. And he wants them to know that, he just doesn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>how.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God, he’s so tired.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels like he’s being thrown back and forth between somewhat okay and being on the verge of a mental breakdown, and he wants to sleep for the next eternity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” He whispers, and it feels like defeat, like a shameful admission, but, “I will be, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because he’s not giving up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>obviously. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because if one thing can be said about Hatake Kakashi, it’s that it takes a lot for him to give up. He’d never give himself the honor of saying he’s as stubborn as Naruto, but he doesn't fancy himself a quitter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he’d never allow himself to give up when there are people to protect, their lives on the line, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to fix things. He’s going to save them, whether he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>okay </span>
  </em>
  <span>or not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato smiles, just a little, small but still sincere, “Good—that’s good.” Minato breathes out, placing a tentative hand on Kakashi’s shoulder, “Just—don’t hesitate to talk to me, okay? I’ll try to help in any way that I can, you know that, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato squeezes his shoulder, a small amount of pressure that’s somehow incredibly comforting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Kakashi exhales, and finds that it’s true. He’s never had any reason to doubt Minato’s kindness, his willingness to be there for him if he ever asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had just never asked the first time around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Kakashi murmurs, his fingers wrapping around Minato’s wrist, unconsciously finding the man’s pulse, and he squeezes back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Kakashi’s stomach growls, and he flushes all the way up to his ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato snickers, and then immediately covers his mouth, but his shoulders are shaking in obvious mirth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Kakashi grumbles, but can’t stifle his chuckle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It just makes Minato laugh harder, pressing his hand more forcefully over his mouth. Kakashi blames the fact that he giggles on the fact that he’s had a very stressful day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Kakashi and his sensei are giggling like little kids in the middle of Kakashi’s hallway, and Kakashi feels lightheaded on the idea of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are two laughing about?” Kushina yells from the kitchen, and she sounds like she’s on the verge of laughing as well just from hearing them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing!” Minato shouts back, smiling wide enough that it must hurt, his cheek’s having gone red, “But I’m guessing you're hungry, then?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato looks down at Kakashi with eyes that almost sparkle, looking happy and relieved and Kakashi feels lighter for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t eat lunch.” He </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> pout, not at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato huffs out an amused breath, “Well I didn’t either, and I’m sure Kushina will start without us if we don’t hurry up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato swipes a hand through Kakashi’s hair as he passes, and Kakashi follows him, ignoring the flutter he can feel in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina, Rin, and Obito are seated already when they make it to the kitchen, and Minato and him sit in the same spot they had that morning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks at him curiously, like he’s looking for some sort of confirmation. Kakashi smiles at him even if he can’t see his lips, and Obito smiles back at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for the food.” They say in unison, and then Kushina is grabbing her chopsticks and scarfing down her noodles in record time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi idly wonders who would win in a competition on who could eat a bowl of ramen the fastest if it was between Kushina and Naruto. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t choke, dear.” Minato says on principle, knowing it won’t do anything to deter her, and he starts eating much more slowly than his partner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Naruto ended up so much like Kushina despite not even being able to grow up with her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato’s brows furrow on the first bite, “Who made this?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi did! It’s good isn’t it?” Obito says excitedly, like he’s been waiting to brag about Kakashi’s cooking. Kakashi tries to stifle his smile even if no one would be able to see it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can cook?” Minato smiles, looking curious and excited in the way he always had when he learned something new about Kakashi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Those moments had been rare, but Minato had always looked delighted to know something new about his close-lipped student. Kakashi’s heart gives a heavy thump in his chest as he realizes just how </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>Minato had known about him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, I taught myself how to after—” he pauses briefly, “After my father. It’s nothing special.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi picks up his chopsticks as he hears Obito splutter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is so good!” Kushina protests, talking through a mouth full of noodles, “You’re cooking ramen for me every day from now on.” Kushina points a chopstick at him like it’s a weapon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi chuckles breathlessly, hearing Naruto saying the same thing in his head. Naruto had found out he knew how to cook and begged for him to make him ramen, even if he could have easily gone to Ichiraku’s. He could just never pass up the opportunity to annoy his sensei, Kakashi supposes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Though Kakahsi was hardly ever actually bothered, even though he’d never admit to the fact that he loved his team of problem children).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi tugs his mask down to eat and everyone looks away, even Obito who had been incredibly adamant on getting a peek of his face when they had first met. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks down at his bowl for a moment, fingers fiddling with his mask that’s now bunched around his neck, and makes a decision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can look.” He says quietly, clenching his jaw. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks up and no one looks at him, seeming frozen with shock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Obito bites his lip, looking hesitant but he can’t seem to hide his curiosity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can’t help it when his lips twitch up, “Yes, it’s fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks up first, eyes wide, roving over every uncovered inch of Kakashi’s face, as if he’s trying to get in every detail that he can before Kakashi covers himself back up again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone else follows, and Kakashi tries not to fidget under the feeling of four sets of eyes looking at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look normal.” Obito blurts, “I mean not that it’s a bad thing, but—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You expected something more?” Kakashi can’t help but tease, and he makes sure to open his mouth enough that Obito can see his teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s mouth drops open, and Kakashi can pinpoint the exact moment that Obito notices them—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have fangs!?” He shouts, leaning forward in his seat as if it could help him get a better view.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin doesn’t chastise him because she’s too busy looking as well, brown eyes wide in wonder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi fights the urge to cover his mouth self-consciously, but it’s difficult when they’re staring and not saying anything. He closes his mouth tightly, and he knows that his lips jut out slightly when he does, his teeth having always been too big for him to comfortably close his mouth fully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No wait they’re cool!” Obito yells excitedly, and the shininess of his eyes makes Kakashi believe in his sincerity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it a clan thing?” Rin asks, curious and excited as well even if she’s significantly better at hiding it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah—yes.” Kakashi mumbles, “My mother was an Inuzuka and my father was Hatake so I inherited it from both of them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s because of that fact that his teeth have always been larger and sharper than his father’s, and although he’s grown into them he knows that his lips naturally part to accommodate their size. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Children were not always kind, and a mask had made it easier for him to focus on his studies instead of their stares.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know that.” Minato says, smiling warmly, “Is that where the name White Fang came from?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi chuckles quietly, “Yeah, he didn’t get that nickname for no reason.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s so badass.” Kushina says in wonderment, and Kakashi laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of dinner consists of harmless questions about his clan, and even though Kakashi can’t answer all of them, he feels lighter at being able to just—</span>
  <em>
    <span>talk </span>
  </em>
  <span>with all of them. It’s strangely relieving, eating and talking as if nothing’s wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s nice, and even though he wishes he had this the first time, wishes he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>allowed</span>
  </em>
  <span> himself to have this the first time around, but he has this </span>
  <em>
    <span>now. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And maybe that’s what matters, that he ended up here, having </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> despite everything. He’s here, with them, even when all odds were against him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t care whether he deserves it or not, because he </span>
  <em>
    <span>has this </span>
  </em>
  <span>anyway, and he’s not going to mess everything up this time. He’s going to protect these people with everything he has, won’t allow himself to settle for anything less. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because these people mean everything to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and he’s going to protect them, no matter what.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Packs, and places where Obito’s wanted.</p><p>Umm,, I love Obito so here’s some Obito angst? Just a little, though it’s mostly fluff. Uhh,, I really hope you enjoy this chapter! I’m putting off my school work so I could get this chapter done before it’s been over a week since the last chapter,,, tho really I’d take any excuse not to do school work,,,<br/>Tho enough of that, I hope you enjoy the chapter! And I am still incredibly appreciative of all the lovely comments I get every new chapter! They’re all so nice to read and they really make me want to continue this thank you so much! ✨💕</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi has a mole under his lips on the left side of his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was the first thing Obito had noticed when he looked up, and then his next thought was </span>
  <em>
    <span>he looks normal. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obito had expected</span>
  <em>
    <span>—something. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He doesn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>exactly he had been expecting, but Kakashi had looked like any normal boy other than the fact his lips naturally fell slightly open even with his face being completely rested.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Kakashi had opened his mouth and—</span>
  <em>
    <span>oh </span>
  </em>
  <span>that’s why his lips were slightly parted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because his teeth looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge, </span>
  </em>
  <span>two long incisors and sharp canines protruding from the front. His teeth looked just like those of a large dog, and—they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>cool. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obito can’t help it when he gapes a little at the sight of them, but everyone else does too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And apparently Kakashi’s clan is really cool, too. They have canine summons, and dog teeth, and silver hair is common among them. Kakashi doesn’t say much about his father, but Obito recognizes the name </span>
  <em>
    <span>White Fang, </span>
  </em>
  <span>knows he was a powerful ninja that must have died when Kakashi was young.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi is the last living Hatake that he knows of, and that thought makes Obito feel a little sad. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito at the very least </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>a clan even though they don’t really accept him, but Kakashi can’t be accepted either way because there’s no one else left other than him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does that make you clan head then?” Obito can’t help but blurt out, overcome with curiosity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s bare face turns towards him, and Obito still isn’t used to the sight of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose.” He says, his fingers absently fiddling with the mask that’s still pulled down around his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito thinks of Uchiha Fugaku, the current Uchiha clan head, and thinks that Kakashi is probably just as intimidating as him. They’re both certainly strict enough to fit the role.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s so cool.” Obito exclaims, leaning forward on his hands. His ramen has already gone cold by this point, his attention taken up by Kakashi instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, and when he licks his lip Obito can see a peek of his fangs when his mouth parts, “It means I can dictate who can be a part of the clan, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Rin asks, “Can just anyone join, then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi shifts in his seat, and Obito can see a look on Kushina’s face that makes him think she’s desperately trying not to say something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Considering I’m the only living Hatake, there’s only a few ways to expand the clan otherwise. And I can make all the decisions myself as well, there is no one else to argue with me, after all.” Kakashi drawls, his tone deceptively bored but Obito’s heart is thudding a little too loudly in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you—trying to build your clan again?” Minato asks, bright blue eyes widening in surprise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—yeah.” Kakashi breathes, and everyone’s silent for a moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s sure he’s stopped breathing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina looks like she’s about to vibrate out of her seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I already said yes, ya know.” Kushina finally bursts the bubble of silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nudges Kakashi with her elbow and his eyes drift over to Minato first, and his sensei looks like he’s about to trip over himself despite the fact that he’s seated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He points to himself, “You—you want me to—”, he splutters, looking decidedly wrong footed for someone who’s always seemed calm and rather unshakable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sensei, I want you to join my clan.” Kakashi says lazily, tone flat, but with his face uncovered it’s significantly easier to see his cheeks flush and the fact he’s nervously biting at his bottom lip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Okay, I—mean yes.” Minato stutters, “Yes, I’d be honored to join.” Minato smiles brightly, his whole face lighting up in obvious joy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks at Rin next and her whole face flushes, turning bright red, and she nods enthusiastically, “I want to.” She smiles, “My mother might even want to, as well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks satisfied with that, “I wouldn’t mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then his dark grey eyes land on Obito, and Obito can feel something cold settle in his chest because he’s already half convinced himself that Kakashi is going to tell him the he’s too </span>
  <em>
    <span>useless </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be apart of his clan—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can too, Obito.” Kakashi says, and Obito sucks in a sharp breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, and Obito is so unused to seeing his face, seeing his teammate actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>smile—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re an Uchiha, but—” He tilts his head, and he’s waiting for Obito to answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You—” Obito’s throat clicks audibly when he swallows, “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>me—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods, and he’s still smiling, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>clan </span>
  </em>
  <span>fangs splitting his lips and Obito’s never associated the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>soft </span>
  </em>
  <span>with other boy before, but he looks more open than he’s ever seen him—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants </span>
  </em>
  <span>him in his clan, he isn’t just stuck with him, they aren't a clan because of blood. Obito won’t just be some black sheep, an unwanted addition, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>nuisance, </span>
  </em>
  <span>because Kakashi </span>
  <em>
    <span>asked </span>
  </em>
  <span>him, he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want you to, Obito.” Kakashi says quietly, “You don’t—you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears spill down Obito’s cheeks even if he wills them not to. He scrubs violently at his eyes, but he’s so overwhelmingly </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, s-sure, why not.” He chuckles, voice wobbly, horribly failing at sounding nonchalant but it makes Rin laugh weakly and put a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi releases a harsh breath, shaking his head in with a sort of fondness Obito’s never seen before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My boys are so cute.” Kushina coos, her hand scrubbing through Kakashi’s wild silver strands. Kakashi and Obito both go pink, and Kakashi bats her hand away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we’re all Hatake now.” Minato says, “Like one big family.” He’s smiling brightly, and Kakashi goes even pinker when he looks at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He mumbles, rubbing the back of his head, a nervous tick that Obito’s never seen him do before, “My father—he used the word pack.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s delightful.” Minato exclaims excitedly, “We’re a pack then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Kakashi murmurs, looking embarrassed and going redder by the second.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re like the alpha wolf, then?” Obito can’t help but tease, holding his hands out like they’re claws.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi purses his lips, looking at Obito like he’s completely unimpressed despite the tomato-like redness of his face, “I’m already regretting this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Ah!” Obito laughs, “No take backs!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep.” Kushina throws an arm around Kakashi shoulders, “You’re stuck with us now, ya know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin giggles next to him, sounding amused, and Minato looks especially fond.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks resigned to his fate, and yet entirely unbothered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t sound too bad.” He whispers, and Obito nearly doesn’t catch it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he does, and the words settle warmly in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, a pack, huh?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That certainly doesn’t sound too bad.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Obito is a good friend, and Kakashi is a wreck, as per usual.</p><p> </p><p>So uhh, I got done with this really quickly so,, might as well post? Maybe it’ll make up for the fact the last two chapters took longer than usual haha,,, but I’m sorry that this chapter is so angsty after the fluff fest that was the last chapter lmao.<br/>And I also want to thank everyone for all of the comments last chapter! So many people seemed pleased with all of the family sap!! And I haven’t mentioned all the kudos I’ve received,, we’re almost at 900 now and! Thank! You! I never really thought I’d make it that high wow,,, but enough of that, I hope you enjoy the chapter! ✨</p><p>Content warnings: There are depictions of blood and injuries in this chapter, and also a panic attack. Neither are particularly explicit, or much different then what has already been included in this fic, but just to make sure you’re warned!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi goes to bed soon after dinner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s been exhausted for a while, since yesterday really, and having </span>
  <em>
    <span>conversations</span>
  </em>
  <span> that contain </span>
  <em>
    <span>emotions </span>
  </em>
  <span>is always a sure way to make him want to sleep for the next few decades. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is asleep at the foot of his bed already, sprawled out on an old futon, and has been out like a light ever since his head had hit his pillow. Kakashi didn’t have the heart to make him go home to his empty apartment to sleep, and really, he doesn’t mind the company. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(And Kakashi has apparently become incredibly susceptible to big, watery eyes).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin went home to her mother soon after the sun had started to set, promising to see her team tomorrow for training. Minato and Kushina went home soon after, and Kakashi’s apartment is silent except for the light snoring he can hear coming from the lump on the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi has never slept in the same room as one of his teammates before, unless it was because of a longer mission that required overnight stays away from the village. But even then they had usually been camped out in a forest rather than in any sort of room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts, fondly remembering all of the times he would have to cover his head with a pillow to block out the noise Obito always made, sleeping or not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s strangely comforting, though, having someone close like this, knowing they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe </span>
  </em>
  <span>even in sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi falls asleep in a few short minutes, the sounds of crickets and Obito’s breath lulling him into unconsciousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi feels arms wrap around him through the fog of his brain, through the stinging pain he can feel in his eye and the pulsing in his head. And then he’s being thrown, everything jarring suddenly sideways, and he’s skidding across hard ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It isn’t until he hears stone colliding with stone that every inch of his body runs cold, and he thinks </span>
  <em>
    <span>no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rin, Kakashi. Are you guys all right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s Obito voice, raspy and low and Kakashi pushes himself up, everything about him shaking and trembling because this is all so </span>
  <em>
    <span>familiar—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks up and half of Obito’s body is crushed, half of it completely covered under rocks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Obito.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He gasps, and the name scratches against his throat, feels like it’s ripped violently out of him, “No, no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was supposed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>different—”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gets to his feet, stumbling and falling forward. He shoves against the boulder even if he knows it won’t do anything, even if he can hear Obito telling him to stop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was supposed to save you. It was supposed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span> this time—” Kakashi chokes, fingers clenching into his palms until he can feel blood drip down his wrists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin is crying from where she’s still sitting behind him, he can hear her sharp intakes of breath, her quiet whimpers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until they abruptly stop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he looks back at Rin her chest is gaping open, blood and sinew and bones completely cut through. His hand burns.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You killed her.” Obito rasps, and Kakashi shakes his head even if he knows it’s true.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You couldn’t protect us.” Rin whispers, blood cascading from her lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi wants to cover his ears, wants to scream until his throat is raw and he can’t hear them anymore, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> he deserves to hear it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two hands fall heavily on his shoulders, one on each.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really, Kakashi, I expected more from you.” Minato says, and Kakashi makes the mistake of turning around. His sensei’s torso is completely torn open, hardly anything left of his chest and stomach. There’s blood dribbling down his chin, his face a pale and sickly color.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks disappointed, like Kakashi has just said something particularly rude to Obito, or made a reckless decision during a mission to get better results. It somehow makes it worse, to look into an expression he’s seen so much before but for such smaller grievances.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You did this.” Kushina hisses, and Kakashi’s head whips around towards the sound of her voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s holding Natuto’s body in her arms, his clothing ripped to shreds, covered in blood and scrapes, and he’s hanging limply in Kushina’s hold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina isn’t much better, her dress destroyed, nothing left of her stomach other than a gaping hole.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No—” Kakashi shakes his head so hard his vision goes blurry, “I didn’t—I didn’t want—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can’t breathe, not with their eyes on him, not with their voices throwing accusations at him, not when they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming, </span>
  </em>
  <span>sound bouncing and echoing off of those </span>
  <em>
    <span>wretched </span>
  </em>
  <span>cave walls—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s all his fault, </span>
  <em>
    <span>all of it</span>
  </em>
  <span> and he knows it—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi jerks, and when his eyes open he’s in that small bed again, that small body, with that dresser he hasn’t owned in years—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He hears a small voice next to him, and when his head rolls to the side it’s Obito’s obsidian black eyes that he meets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Caves and rocks and red, red, red—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You killed her.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” He chokes, and he still can’t breathe, his lungs are too tight and his chest is </span>
  <em>
    <span>cracking—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wha—why are you sorry?” Obito stutters out in confusion, “What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s hands are held out in front of him, like he’s tempted to reach out and touch Kakashi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi jerks up into a sitting position, and he feels lightening crackling over his fingertips. He clenches his fingers into his palms, and wonders if Obito had reached out to touch him if he would have accidentally ended up electrocuting him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thought disgusts him, makes bile rise up hot and thick in his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breath catches and it shudders and crashes out of him, leaving his lips in short, sharp bursts. He registers numbly that his face is uncovered, that he can feel cool night air caressing his cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you need to breathe.” Kakashi can hear Obito’s voice, shaky and panicked as it is, reciting words he likely got from Minato-sensei.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nearly sobs, but he clenches his teeth harshly together, holding the sound in. He doesn’t need to freak Obito out even more, and even through his own panic he can sense Obito’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s that more than anything else that forces him to slow his breathing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When it finally evens out he can see Obito sag a little out of the corner of his eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re both silent, for a few moments, and Obito’s moved up to sit next to Kakashi on the bed. Kakashi unconsciously leans away from him, as if he’s afraid that if he brushes against Obito he’ll somehow taint him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Obito whispers, his fingers twisting together nervously in his lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi swallows, his mouth feeling completely dry, “Yeah.” He rasps, and he can’t bring himself to look at Obito.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can feel Obito’s dark eyes staring intently at the side of his head, “Was that one of the nightmares you were talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t say anything, doesn’t confirm or deny it, just lets Obito draw his own conclusions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Obito murmurs, looks away and clears his throat, “You were screaming.” He continues in a small voice, and Kakashi’s chest convulses at the sound of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Obito’s voice, raspy and low—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never seen you like that before.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi swallows again, smiles without any humor, “Maa, well there’s a first time for everything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito makes a choked off noise that sounds three parts crushed and one part infuriated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s heart stutters in his chest when he finally does look up at Obito.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s trembling, his whole face red as silent tears streak down his cheeks—and he looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Scared, and every part the young boy that he is. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His face scrunches up, and he looks like he’s trying not to cry harder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito shakes his head violently, “Don’t—don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>joke—”, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obito inhales sharply, abruptly stopping, unable to get another word out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Kakashi says, hand shooting out before falling to the bed between him. He can’t touch Obito, not with his hands that are covered in blood, drenched in sin and death. His fingers clench in his bed sheets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry for scaring you.” He mumbles lamely, wanting to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>but having no idea </span>
  <em>
    <span>how.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And that’s always been his shortcoming, all of his genius and yet he’s still so </span>
  <em>
    <span>useless—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito shakes his head, “I don’t want you to apologize for that.” Obito inhales a breath and it’s steadier than it was earlier, “I know it’s not your fault I just—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito bites his lip, and even though his eyeslashes are still clumped wetly together his tears have waned, “Does that happen often?” He murmurs quietly, big, dark eyes looking incredibly sincere and slightly guilty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” And that’s true, at least. Kakashi doesn’t typically make much noise during his nightmares, and he hasn’t done anything like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> since he was a young child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(As frequent as his nightmares were after Rin died, he was still ANBU, and it was such a large facet of who he was that he couldn’t afford to make noise even while asleep).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito nods, looking slightly relieved, “Okay. Okay, that’s good.” He scratches anxiously at his cheek, “Do you—do you want to talk about it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s looking at him directly despite his obvious nerves, and the instinctual </span>
  <em>
    <span>no </span>
  </em>
  <span>that's on the tip of Kakashi’s tongue swiftly shrivels up and dies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi, typically, does not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Not when it’s important at least, and certainly not when it makes him feel small and weak and </span>
  <em>
    <span>vulnerable. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like a newborn fowl, still stumbling and tripping over its own legs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s what </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking</span>
  </em>
  <span> feels like, most days, just Kakashi fumbling through his words, feeling inadequate and no bigger than an ant, a young child who can barely pronounce a single syllable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he starts </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking</span>
  </em>
  <span> anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I messed up.” He starts, and Obito looks enraptured already, if not a little confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t do that much.” Obito pouts, and Kakashi’s mouth quirks, just a little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, no wonder it’s in my nightmares then.” He sighs, “But—it was a little more than a simple mistake.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s watching him, eyes no longer glassy and instead completely wide and focused on him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had a dream you died.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s mouth falls open and he jerks up into a straighter position so his cheek is no longer resting against his bent knee.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” He murmurs, “Is that why you—why you apologized?” Obito says quietly, brows knitting together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, “Well, I also dreamed I killed Rin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito gapes then, and then sputters, “But—but you wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> that—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if I did?” Kakashi says tiredly, feeling completely sapped of energy and high on adrenaline all at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks like he’s on the verge of tears again, and yet full of righteous indignation, “You wouldn’t! And that’s that! It was just a dream, Bakakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He really wishes it was, that every horrid thing that happened in those few short years really was all just a dream, a nightmare he would eventually wake up from.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mistakes happen, bad things we can’t stop.” Kakashi murmurs, head resting against his knees, gazing tiredly up at Obito.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks at him particularly sternly then, young face looking severe, “We’re family—pack, you said so. You wouldn’t let us die.” His shoulder knocks with Kakashi’s then, and Kakashi restrains the need to flinch away from the touch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm,</span>
  </em>
  <span> though. Kakashi can’t help but sap up all of the heat he can feel through that small point of contact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he </span>
  <em>
    <span>won’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> let them die, not this time, not ever again. He can’t fail, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose you’re right.” Kakashi murmurs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damn right I am.” Obito grumbles haughtily, “Now, go to sleep and dream of—I dunno, rule books or something. We have training tomorrow, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts, “Yeah, yeah, I guess we do.” Kakashi sighs and dramatically plops back down onto his pillows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito follows him, falling gracelessly down next to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Kakashi asks curiously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Keeping you company.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To scare away the nightmares, of course!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not very scary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up! I’m plenty scary!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Maa, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go back to sleep, Bakakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito grumpily turns so his back is to Kakashi. Kakashi snorts quietly but doesn’t make him move, simply turns so his back is towards the boy. Obito falls asleep first this time, too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can hear Obito’s breath, can feel him shift against the bed, tug lightly on the blanket they have to share.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s never had someone there after a nightmare before, only his own thoughts and steaming water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dreams are blissfully quiet when he drifts off, lulled by the sounds of life right next to him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Obito is so Stressed, someone please help him. </p><p> </p><p>Uhh I actually feel a little bad about this essentially being a rewrite of the last chapter, so I’m gonna try really hard to get the next chapter out quickly to make up for it! Regardless, I do hope you enjoy despite that. And thank you again, for the hundredth time, for all of the wonderful comments I get each chapter! ☺️💞</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You can stay, if you want.” Kakashi tells him once Kushina and Minato have said their goodbyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito stands there for a moment, unable to process the words, “What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said you can stay here for the night.” Kakashi says, and Obito has a harder time reading him now that his mask is pulled up again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But—but Kakashi wouldn’t offer if he didn’t mean it—he’s not the type to do something out of some misplaced sort of pity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean—if you—” he bites his lip and breathes, “Yeah, that sounds fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, and Obito can actually see it in his eyes this time, not that strange fake one he’s already come to hate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sets out a futon at the foot of his bed, and when Obito lays down he can hear the sound of Kakashi breathing, the chirping of crickets outside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He falls asleep, and wonders if this is what it feels like to have a family.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito wakes to the sound of screaming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s jolting out of his futon before he can even think, instinctively grabbing the Kunai he had seen shoved under the bed earlier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But there’s no one else there, just him and Kakashi—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi’s the one screaming, thrashing in his bed wildly, twisting in the covers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He curls onto his side and sobs so loudly that his voice cracks, and Obito’s whole body feels like it’s been doused in cold water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He almost wants to cover his ears, to block out the overwhelming sound of it, but he doesn’t.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He calls hesitantly, pulling himself out of his blankets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sobs again, and Obito’s eyes sting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, wake up.” He says, and he’s standing next to Kakashi’s bed now, wanting to reach out but too scared to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t wake up, only shakes and cries and Obito’s heart is pounding in his ears and his chest feels as if it’s collapsed in on itself and—and he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi!” He shouts, not knowing what else to do, and Kakashi’s eye shoots open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His head lolls to the side, and his lone, unfocused grey eye meets his. Obito feels frozen, pinned underneath a single hooded eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” He repeats, in a tiny voice that quivers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Kakashi chokes out, and something heavy drops into Obito’s gut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s an apology that has </span>
  <em>
    <span>weight </span>
  </em>
  <span>somehow—something in it that Obito doesn’t understand—something so </span>
  <em>
    <span>broken </span>
  </em>
  <span>about it—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wha—why are you sorry?” He stutters put, feeling breathless, “What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks at Obito’s hands, which are still awkwardly held out in front of him, in an aborted attempt to reach out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is jerking into a sitting position in the next moment, and when he hunches over Obito can see electricity sparking over his fingertips, fingernails digging harshly into his palms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He still wants to reach out, uncurl those fingers before Kakashi hurts himself, but he doesn’t.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is still breathing too harshly, breaths coming out in erratic, short pants. His chest is heaving with the effort, and although Obito feels like he’s about to dissolve on the spot—</span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi </span>
  </em>
  <span>is the one in need of comfort for once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi, you need to breathe.” He says, as calm as he can, calling to mind Minato-sensei’s words. Obito’s voice is nowhere near as soft as their sensei’s, but sensei isn’t here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Obito is.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi clenches his jaw, but he does begin to breathe easier. It makes Obito release his own breath, overcome with a trickle of relief. He feels tension begin to leave his shoulders, and he can’t help it when he sags forward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moves closer as Kakashi breathes, sitting next to him at the head of the bed. Obito hopes Kakashi finds his presence comforting, in whatever way that he can.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi stays far away enough that no part of them is touching, and Obito consciously tries to give him space.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He whispers, fiddling with his fingers, unable to smother his nervousness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can hear Kakashi swallow, “Yeah.” He rasps, voice sounding strained, as if he had been screaming—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he had, and Obito can’t get the sound out of it out of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks at him, even if Kakashi won’t return his gaze, “Was that one of the nightmares you were talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It must be, because even if Obito had been suspicious of nightmares managing to change his teammate’s whole personality, if they’re like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> every time—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is significantly less doubtful, because he knows Kakashi, knows him </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span> at least, to know it takes a lot for him to react to </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> like that—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is silent, and Obito nods, to himself more than anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” He murmurs, looks down into his own lap and clears his throat, and all he can hear is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>sound</span>
  </em>
  <span> of it—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were screaming.” He whispers, voice quiet and small and he doesn’t even have the mental capacity to feel embarrassed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never seen you like that before.” He continues, every word feeling as if it's ripped out of him, violently torn from somewhere deep and hidden.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi smiles, bare face twisting into something humorless and horribly out of character of the person that Obito knows—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maa, well there’s a first time for everything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito can’t stop the choked noise he makes, feeling more upset than he has in years and </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And maybe he’s a little terrified and crushed because Kakashi isn’t okay—hardly even feels like the same person—and what is Obito supposed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears stream down his face in hot trails, stinging against his flushed face. He’s shaking, he knows, trembling really. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi looks at him, and Obito has to stop himself from crying even harder. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crybaby, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he hears Kakashi’s voice snark from somewhere in his mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head, trying to jar the voice out of his thoughts, “Don’t—don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>joke—”, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he inhales sharply, voice catching and refusing to utter another word.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He never knew he would have to be the one to tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kakashi </span>
  </em>
  <span>of all people to stop joking, he thinks hysterically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Kakashi says, hand coming up in an attempt to reach out, before abruptly falling back down to the bed before he can even touch him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry for scaring you.” Kakashi mumbles next, grey looking sincere, his whole face looking pained.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Obito shakes his head, “I don’t want you to apologize for that.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Obito feels ridiculous, the one being </span>
  <em>
    <span>coddled </span>
  </em>
  <span>when it’s Kakashi who should be the one getting comforted, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>Obito.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito inhales, breath more stable than it used to be, “I know it’s not your fault I just—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bites his lip, and suddenly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperately,</span>
  </em>
  <span> needs to know, “Does that happen often?” He murmurs, nearly silent in volume.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Images and sound flash unbidden through his mind, of Kakashi screaming and crying, alone in the dark, with </span>
  <em>
    <span>no one there—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” Kakashi answers, and Obito’s has a feeling it’s not completely true.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t press though, only nods and takes the answer at face value, “Okay. Okay, that’s good.” He scratches at his cheek, “Do you—do you want to talk about it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito has heard that it helps, </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking </span>
  </em>
  <span>about things. Obito, for all of the speaking he does, never really </span>
  <em>
    <span>says </span>
  </em>
  <span>much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Telling people what’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span> has never much been his strong suit. He says he’s an Uchiha, that he’s going to unlock his Sharingan and finally become strong, but he never tells anyone about how his own clan doesn't even accept him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tells everyone that he’s going to be Hokage, become powerful and watch over the village, not about how he thinks that it’s the only way he knows that will get people to actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>look at him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wants to be relied on, to protect people, not be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid</span>
  </em>
  <span> little boy that only knows how to mess up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he can be </span>
  <em>
    <span>here,</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Kakashi, and feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>important </span>
  </em>
  <span>and helpful for once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wants to protect Kakashi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thought doesn't surprise him as much as he thought it would.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I messed up.” Kakashi finally say, and Obito is already listening intently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t do that much.” He pouts, and feels more accomplished than he probably should when a small smile finds its way onto Kakashi’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, no wonder it’s in my nightmares then.” He sighs, “But—it was a little more than a simple mistake.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito doesn’t take his eyes off of him, intent on listening to every word he says. This moment feel valuable and private—quiet, and like Kakashi is entrusting him with something important.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had a dream you died.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s heart squeezes in his chest and his mouth hangs open for a few moments. He jerks out of the position he had fallen into, sitting up straighter so he’s no longer leaning on his bent knee.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” He murmurs, “Is that why you—why you apologized?” Obito says quietly, brows furrowed in confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a strange thought, almost, to think Kakashi would truly be bothered by his death. There was a time where Obito was convinced that if he were to ever just drop dead, Kakashi wouldn’t even notice, let alone care.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s different now, his and Kakashi’s relationship seeming as if it has completely shifted over the course of a single day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, a faux sort of nonchalance that Obito has already learned is fake, “Well, I also dreamed I killed Rin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito gapes for a moment then, feeling as if he’s taken a particularly hard blow to the head, and the he sputters, “But—but you wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> that—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And despite every opinion that Obito had about Kakashi before yesterday, he was confident he would never kill them. Obito didn’t hate Kakashi, and Obito thought that even if Obito hated them he wasn’t a killer. Not in the same way that many Shinobi are, knew Kakashi wouldn’t kill because he wanted to or because he liked it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he wouldn’t kill a comrade.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if I did?” Kakashi drawls, in that tired and lazy tone that Obito’s never heard him used before today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The words make his heart stutter violently—and something about the words are </span>
  <em>
    <span>heavy—</span>
  </em>
  <span>as if Kakashi as already killed her even if that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>impossible—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito wants to cry, but something stubborn keeps the tears at bay, “You wouldn’t! And that’s that! It was just a dream, Bakakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he believes that, believes that Kakashi wouldn’t kill Rin, especially when he’s always considered her more useful than Obito.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And they’re more than just a team, now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mistakes happen, bad things we can’t stop.” Kakashi murmurs, gazing at Obito with a hooded, tired eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito doesn’t believe that. He’ll take fate by the throat and he’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>force </span>
  </em>
  <span>it to change, because he’s not letting Rin die—won’t let Kakashi die either, Minato, Kushina—his </span>
  <em>
    <span>family.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re stuck with him, and he’s not letting any of them slip through his fingers. This is something he’s desperately been clawing for—</span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhere to belong—</span>
  </em>
  <span>and he’s not allowing it to be taken away, and he’s not giving up on it no matter what other people tell him </span>
  <em>
    <span>he can’t stop.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re family—pack, you said so. You wouldn’t let us die.” He knocks his shoulder into Kakashi’s, and the other boy doesn’t move away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s warm, and it’s somehow surprising. There’s something about Kakashi that makes you expect him to be cold, but he feels like a furnace more than anything even at a single point of contact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose you’re right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damn right I am.” Obito grumbles, “Now go to sleep and dream of—I dunno rule books or something. We have training tomorrow, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which Obito is probably going to be forced to go on time for once, with Kakashi sleeping in the same room as him. He holds in his sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi snorts, and Obito is still reeling just a bit at the fact Kakashi actually seems more amused by him than annoyed, “Yeah, yeah, I guess we do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs heavily and drops back down onto his pillows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito follows him, falling into the surprisingly plush pillows at the head of Kakahsi’s bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Kakashi asks, but he doesn’t sound particularly bothered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Keeping you company.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To scare away the nightmares, of course!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not very scary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up! I’m plenty scary!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Maa, of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go back to sleep, Bakakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito pouts and turns so his back is toward Kakashi. He can hear Kakashi snort, and then the sound of him shifting against the sheets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito buries himself in the thick blanket they’re sharing, noticing the little dogs printed on it for the first time that night. He can hear Kakashi breathing quietly, and the sound is strangely calming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He falls asleep first, silently comforted at the thought that Kakashi is close enough to touch.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Of photographs and memories.</p><p> </p><p>Uhh, so I did get this done quickly! Just as I planned,,, so uhh I actually like this chapter a lot?? Umm,, I just really love writing Kakashi and Obito and this seems like a decently balanced amount of fluff and angst. So, I hope you enjoy! And thank you for the comments, as always, they are my drive to continue writing this! ☺️✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi wakes up the next morning with a headache, and something warm plastered against his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hisses a little when he opens his eye and is immediately assaulted by the sunlight shining in through his lone bedroom window. He turns, and can see the shaggy black head of hair that’s Uchiha Obito snoring loudly, wrapped up in over half of Kakashi’s childhood dog-print blanket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi turns away from his teammate and glances at the clock by his bed, noting the fact that it’s almost eleven thirty already. Training starts at ten.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Good,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kakashi thinks, he still has a good hour and a half until it’s reasonable for him to show up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He lays in bed for about thirty more minutes before he can feel Obito begin to stir, the Uchiha yawning so loud that his jaw pops. He can hear Obito make a confused hum from where he is next to him, his head raising slowly, face red and eyes bleary and barely cracked open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What time is it?” He slurs, before burrowing himself further into the cover he’s stolen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, “It’s twelve.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito makes a sound of recognition before he suddenly shoots up, almost falling right back down to the bed when his arms get caught in the blanket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Training—we’re late—” Obito stumbles out of bed and Kakashi sighs, already missing the warmth of his bed even though he hasn’t even gotten up yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito has already tugged off his shirt before he says, “I don’t have any clothes here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi sighs, “We could stop by your apartment.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito purses his lips, “Then we would be even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>late.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you didn’t typically care about things like that.” Kakashi yawns, sitting up on the bed and running a hand through his hair. He’s still tired, achy and sore in some places, but his chakra is already at normal levels again, approaching the full capacity of what he had as an adult.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito splutters, “Well, yeah, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>supposed to care!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah.” Kakashi says, and throws his legs over the side of his bed. He supposes he should get dressed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s looking at him as if he’s grown a second head, but Kakashi pays him no mind, pulling clothes out of his closet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mind turning around?” Kakashi drawls, before he’s pulling his sleep shirt off. He gets dressed quickly, pulling up his dark navy blue mask once he’s done.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is pointedly turned away, running his fingers over a Shiba Inu printed on his blanket. His shirt is back on too, him likely deciding he might as well get a change of clothes from his apartment after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doubts Obito would fit his clothes, anyway. Obito, a little to Kakashi’s annoyance, is actually taller and bulkier than him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi finds his headband in his nightstand, and he slips it on over his left eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito gives him an incredulous look, “Is your eye not better?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Considering it’s still pulsing, and Kakashi doesn’t even want to entertain the </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought </span>
  </em>
  <span>of opening it, he’s gonna go with a resounding</span>
  <em>
    <span> no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s also a vague worry in the back of his head that he has no idea what he's going to do when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> open his eye and there's a Sharingan there. Being accused of stealing an eye from the Uchiha is not the way he wants to go out in this world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighs, “It’s still a little irritated, is all.” He taps the metal plate over his eye, “It’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito gives him a dubious look, mouth tugging down into a disbelieving frown, “If you’re sure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi huffs, “I am. Now, weren’t you worried about being late?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito shoots up off the bed immediately, racing past Kakashi, “We really should hurry—ah, Minato-sensei is probably worried about you by now—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s voice drifts through the small apartment, and when Kakashi strolls out of his bedroom Obito is tripping over himself trying to get his sandals on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi slips his sandals on much slower, and Obito is already swinging the front door open, bouncing on the spot impatiently by the time he’s finished, “You could always go by yourself if you’re so adamant about rushing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito flushes, looking away with a pout, “Well—you could probably use the company.” He scuffs his foot against the ground, closing and locking Kakashi’s door once Kakashi has stepped past him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I</span>
  </em>
  <span> need the company?” He drawls and Obito stubbornly looks away, “Well, thank you for being ever so gracious.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah.” Obito grumbles, knocking his shoulder into Kakashi’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s still a little strange, having a twelve year old taller than him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's not a long walk to Obito’s home, and Kakashi ignores the scattered stares he gets from an Uchiha or two once they enter the compound. Obito runs up the stairs to his room and Kakashi follows after, not able to stop himself from looking around his bedroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s the pictures he remembers from his childhood on the corkboard above Obito’s desk, of Rin and Minato and even a stray picture of him. He looks grumpy in most of them, glaring at the camera. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is yanking clothes out of his closet while Kakashi is focused on all the photos he has </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They cover his entire room, a bedroom that looks genuinely </span>
  <em>
    <span>lived in </span>
  </em>
  <span>compared to the impersonal, immaculate look of Kakashi’s own bedroom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Photos litter his bed frame, hanging on the wall, all over the shelves along with other clutter. Kakashi hasn't seen these photos since before Obito died, hasn’t even seen a lot of these even while he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>alive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi thinks Minato ended up with most of Obito’s belongings, being the closest thing Obito had to a guardian at the time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi never allowed himself to ask if he could look at them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t look.” Obito calls from behind him, and Kakashi can hear the shifting of cloth as Obito dresses himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn't pay any attention to him, picking up a camera off his shelf and turning it around as he studies it. Kakashi remembers Rin saying something about Obito’s interest in photography, and Kakashi feels a thud in his chest at the thought he could have easily known that from Obito himself if he had just </span>
  <em>
    <span>asked.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s not mine.” Obito says hastily, jerking the camera from Kakashi’s hold. His face is bright red and his clothes are rumpled from being haphazardly thrown on. His goggles are crooked where they sit on top of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not?” Kakashi questions and Obito squirms on the spot, shoving the camera onto a high shelf.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah—uh, no! It’s not mine it’s uh—” he chews on his lip nervously, rocking back on his heel, “It’s—my cousin’s! Yeah, it’s his.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi narrows his eye but can’t stop himself from huffing amusedly, “You don’t have to lie. Besides, you’re really bad at it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito punches him lightly on the shoulder, face going even redder. He sighs heavily, “Yeah, it’s mine.” He mumbles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you like photography?” Kakashi asks, and when Obito looks up his eyes are sparkling just a little, shining with hesitant hope.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, uh, yeah. I just like it, ya know. It’s—calming, I guess.” He says quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long have you been doing it?” Kakashi asks, looking at the photos again. There’s a lot of pictures of people, but there’s landscapes and nature as well. Kakashi can also see pictures of animals as well, and of buildings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since—since uh, my grandmother died.” Obito’s scratching the back of his head nervously, watching as Kakashi looks through his photographs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re very pretty.” Kakashi smiles, eyes landing on a picture of Rin, three puppies asleep in her lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Obito blinks, “Thanks.” And there’s something about the tone of his voice that makes Kakashi think he expected a drastically different response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Kakashi looks up at Obito then, and the boy quickly averts his gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s um—it’s just—” he sighs, and Kakashi can tell he’s anxious, “I thought you would, I dunno, make fun of me or something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something heavy settles in Kakashi’s chest when he realizes that if he was actually twelve, Obito would probably be right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why would you think that?” He asks instead, even though he knows </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> why Obito would.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito refuses to look at him, “You’re always telling me how horrible of a ninja I am, and I thought you would just—think this is stupid. If I’m wasting so much time on this, then why aren’t I using it to get better?” He laughs self-deprecatingly, before continuing quietly, “That I should be focused on being useful for once.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi swallows, and regrets how he treated Obito more now than he ever has before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bake.” He says, and Obito eyes snap to him. They’re glassy, Kakashi notices.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You—what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bake, when I get stressed. It’s calming, I guess.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito laughs breathlessly, scrubbing at his eyes, “I bet you’re good at that too.” He sniffles, but he’s smiling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eh.” Kakashi sighs, and Obito rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment Kakashi says, “You’re not useless, Obito.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito’s mouth drops open, and his eyes are immediately wet again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you’re not a horrible ninja.” He continues, allowing himself to smile behind his mask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito swallows audibly, blinking back tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your pictures aren’t stupid either.” He says, and Obito’s lip wobbles dangerously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop making me cry.” He sniffs, wiping at his reddened cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's not my fault you're such a crybaby.” Kakashi teases, hitting Obito on the shoulder, the other boy hitting him on the back in return. Obito’s smiling at least, biting his lip to temper the brightness of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to take a picture of me?” He asks suddenly, forcing nonchalance into his tone. His heart is thumping loudly in his chest, so hard it makes his headache worse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito sputters, “I—you mean, right now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi shrugs, “It’s just—I always look mad in these photos.” He gestures to the handful of photos Obito has of him on his corkboard, “Maybe you’d want a better one, is all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito stares at him for a few silent moment, and Kakashi feels as if maybe he really shouldn’t have said something, and he’s on the verge of taking it back—</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’d like that.” He finally breathes, biting his lip. He walks past Kakashi, grabbing the wooden chair from his desk and placing it in front of one of his windows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, sit here.” He instructs, and Kakashi dutifully does as he says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito grabs his camera, putting the strap of it around his neck, before approaching Kakashi again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so face this way—” he mumbles, turning Kakashi’s head towards him, and then urging his body to be more sideways.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi feels like Obito’s done this before, just never with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, do you want to keep your mask on or—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind.” He says quietly, pulling the cloth down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito bites his lip and nods, stepping back and lifting his camera, “Smile?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi does, and even lets Obito see his teeth. He doesn’t let many people take his picture without his mask, much less with his teeth visible, but this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Obito.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He deserves a little more from him, after everything Kakashi has done.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t blink when the camera flashes, and Obito lowers the camera, tugging the photo out once it’s been processed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito looks at it for a few moments, looking as if he can’t stop himself from smiling and there’s something undeniably </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm </span>
  </em>
  <span>about his gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here.” He smiles, showing Kakashi what it looks like.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi carefully takes the photo from him, and hardly even recognizes himself. His smile is crooked, and the afternoon light hits his hair in a way that makes it look like there’s clouds atop his head, and he looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kakashi can see the appeal of keeping pictures, immortalized moments of contentment, soft and warm and bathed in light.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It looks good.” He says quietly, voice feeling strained.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito just smiles, and when he takes the photo back he pins it on his corkboard next to a photo of Rin at one of Konaha’s festival, holding a sparkler and dressed in a blue and purple Kimono.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Kakashi.” Obito whispers, and Kakashi doesn’t know what he’s thanking him for, but his voice sounds thick and sincere.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi doesn’t fill the silence for a long moment, just lets Obito look at his collage of memories.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should get going before Minato-sensei starts searching the whole village, though.” Kakashi sighs eventually, and Obito jumps, scrubbing at his face quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah—come on then, Bakakashi!” Obito exclaims, and promptly grabs onto Kakashi’s wrist in the next moment and is quite literally dragging Kakashi out of his house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi could easily break his hold, but he only grumbles slightly and allows the boy to tug him down the street with halfhearted resistance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And when Obito makes it to the edge of the Uchiha clan grounds, he barrels into someone before Kakashi can even shout at him to watch where he's going. Obito drags him down when he trips, twisting so he doesn’t fall on top of whoever he just ran into, and Kakashi can hear a small thud followed by a young voice letting out a tiny yelp.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he groans and turns his head it’s the dark ebony eyes of a four year old Uchiha Itachi that he meets.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Itachi deserved better 2020, and Kakashi finally has a reason to be a mean bastard again. After he gets done being angsty, that is.</p><p> </p><p>Umm,,, incredibly short chapter, I apologize! But it’s been a bit since the last chapter so I wanted to update and hopefully the next chapter will be longer with what I’m planning to write in it uhh,,, also half the reason this update took a little while to get up is because I lost power for four days due to a hurricane,,, a 0/10 experience all in all I do not recommend tbh<br/>Um, anyway I hope you enjoy regardless! And thank you for all the nice comments, of course! And kudos, this fic has reached over 1000 now and that’s so cool!! 🥺💞</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi can’t help but stare at Itachi for a few moments, taking in his pale skin and wide, dark eyes that are achingly familiar, before he abruptly snaps back to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito is scurrying up from behind him, apologizing profusely for his clumsiness. He’s dragging Kakashi up with him, and Kakashi is a little too stunned looking at a tiny Uchiha that he hardly even notices.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, Obito-san.” Itachi says quietly, voice calm and soft even at such a young age.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi holds his hand out without thinking and the Uchiha’s smaller hand slips into his, a gentle smile sliding onto his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi helps the boy up, “Thank you—Hatake-san, is it?” Itachi says politely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods numbly, his tongue feeling like lead in his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s strange, seeing him so small and so young. Kakashi had met Itachi at a young age the first time around, only eleven years old and already in ANBU, but even then he was nowhere near this </span>
  <em>
    <span>tiny.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sasuke hasn’t even been born at this point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wonders if that has anything to do with the far off quality of the young Uchiha’s eyes, Sasuke not being in his life yet. Itachi had adored his little brother, talked about him as if he was his moon and sun and every single star in the sky. On missions during ANBU, when they were returning to the village after a grueling assignment, Itachi couldn’t seem to stop himself from gushing over his little brother, waxing poetics about his first thrown shuriken or how he knows how to hold a kunai now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Well, it was Itachi’s equivalent to gushing, which mostly just included him talking in a quiet tone with a slightly noticeable excited inflection).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Itachi had always seemed kind and gentle in a way that ANBU typically weren’t. He didn’t hesitate to kill, not when it could save one of his teammates, but Kakashi knew he never liked it. Itachi did not revel in violence, did not join ANBU to satisfy some sort of bloodthirst he harbored.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can still hear the stifled sobs of Uchiha Itachi crying every night he had to kill someone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But despite that, Kakashi never questioned him. He just offered a silent kind of support and just hoped that Itachi knew his ANBU captain was there for him even if he had a hard time showing it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe Kakashi should've tried harder, considering this kid slaughters nearly all of his clan in less than a decade from now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi still doesn’t understand why, there was never a sign, never a tell that made Kakashi think </span>
  <em>
    <span>that kid’s going to go home and kill his parents. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And Itachi had never cared about power, was painfully modest and humble despite his abilities, and wanting </span>
  <em>
    <span>power </span>
  </em>
  <span>would never convince someone like Itachi to kill dozens of people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe Kakashi can truly find out </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>this time around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Bakakashi!” Obito shouts, grabbing his hand, and it makes Kakashi realise he’s done nothing but stare at the young boy for the past half minute, “Bye Itachi-kun! Sorry again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Obito's dragging him off before he can even muster a single word.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito shoots him anxious, fleeting glances every once in a while as they walk down the street, but Kakashi doesn’t say anything. He can tell that his friend is worried, though. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Ha, friend. Imagine what actually twelve year old Kakashi would have to say about </span>
  </em>
  <span>that).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Kakashi doesn’t have the mental capacity nor the energy to have a proper heart to heart right now so he just focuses on getting to the training grounds so he can meet up with the rest of their team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato, predictably, looks like he’s one the verge of tears when Obito and Kakashi finally arrive at their designated field.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi.” He breathes out, sounding as if the name is punched out of him, “Obito, where were you? I was just about to start searching—are you both alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato rushes up to them, his clear blue eyes roving over every visible inch of them, searching for possible injuries.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin is steadfastly behind him, her kind face scrunched in worry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito scratches at his head anxiously, a nervous tic that Kakashi is confident he got from Minato-sensei, “I’m sorry. We just woke up late and then I had to go get a change of clothes at my apartment because I stayed the night at Kakashi’s and then I accidentally ran into Itachi-kun—and I’m sorry sensei.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato blinks, “Kakashi overslept?” He murmurs and turns towards Kakashi with obvious confusion. Of course </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> would be his takeaway from the whole spiel, Kakashi thinks with an inward sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi shrugs, running a lazy hand over the back of his neck, “Maa, it happens.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato just looks even more concerned. And distinctly like he’s thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah, but it doesn’t happen to </span>
  </em>
  <span>you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you really feeling well enough to train today?” Rin interjects, and even if her voice holds the inherent softness that it always does, there’s an underlying hint of steel that always accompanies her tone when her teammates’ health is in question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi almost forgot the sound of it, her sternness, and how strangely intimidating it was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Rin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes narrow dangerously, looking like she’s already prepping for a long and thorough speech that details all of the things she’s going to do to him if he even </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinks</span>
  </em>
  <span> of doing any sort of training when he’s not in perfect shape, but the look abruptly evaporates when Minato puts a placating hand on her shoulder as he chuckles nervously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Won’t it be difficult to train with one eye covered?” Minato questions, brow raised skeptically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both Rin and Obito send him pointed looks that make Kakashi think they agree with that assessment. Kakashi feels decidedly outnumbered, and comes to the conclusion that it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredibly</span>
  </em>
  <span> unfair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not that hard.” Kakashi crosses his arm, giving Minato-sensei an unimpressed stare that would be in character for his twelve year old self.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s harder than you think it is, Kakashi.” Minato chides, sighing and reminding Kakashi vividly of how many times Minato had to hold in his exasperation at Kakashi’s attitude when he was actually a child, “You can sit today out if you need too, your team will live without you—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said it’s fine!” Kakashi snaps harshly, cutting the man off. Minato’s surprised look mirrors Kakashi’s own feelings roiling in his gut, but Kakashi doesn’t let it show. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He swallows, not allowing himself to shift on his feet, holding his back ramrod straight, “It's fine, I don’t have to sit out. I’ve already trained myself to only use one eye, anyway.” He clarifies, keeping his voice forcefully calm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a strange pit of panic settling in his chest. He feels ridiculous for overreacting like this, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>no his team aren’t going to live without his help.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He needs to train them, work on their teamwork and build up on their individual abilities if they have any hope of surviving what they’re eventually going to be put through.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi only has just over half a year to keep everything from going to shit, and he can’t afford to just </span>
  <em>
    <span>sit out </span>
  </em>
  <span>until his eye decides that it wants to cooperate with him. And, if he’s hospitalized or if he’s killed or exiled for having an eye that he shouldn’t, then that’s not helping his team either. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can feel the eyes of his teammates on him, and he steadfastly ignores them even if he can feel his skin begin to prickle uncomfortably. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re certain.” Minato mumbles, but seems like he’s already backing down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi releases a heavy breath, and tries to slow his stupid racing heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, time to work his teammates into the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kakashi and the awaited Beating His Team Into The Ground.</p><p> </p><p>Umm,,, this chapter was a mix of me having fun and being stressed out on what to write haha,,, I’ve never been good at writing any sort of action and I don’t do it often so I’m worried about how good this is or how fluid it is to read, but I also had fun writing it at the same time because I don’t do it often or really at all,,,<br/>Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this chapter! And thank you for all of the good wishes last chapter haha, I’m fine btw thank you to everyone who was asking! 💞💗</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obito’s throat is burning by the end of the day, the evening sun bathing everything in a bright orange. His lips feel completely dried out and his mouth is so sore that it hurts to even move it at all, and his teeth feel as if they’re coated in ash.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin looks tired too, panting loudly a few feet away from him. She’s working on her chakra control, last Obito heard, her hands covered in chakra as she slices at the plank of wood at her feet. When her hand arcs over it there’s a thin dent left in the wood, but there’s little damage caused other than the shallow lines she manages to carve into it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito breathes out harshly, nearly certain that there’s fumes leaving his lips with every exhale.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hasn’t practiced fire jutsu this much since he had first learned the Fire Ball jutsu.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi, Obito has decided, is still an asshole no matter how strangely nice he has been recently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He might as well be their sensei for the day, with how much he’s been bossing them around all day. Minato mostly just looks too stunned to intervene, standing somewhere at the edge of the field, leaning against a tree and looking as if he’s completely questioning his entire existence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Kakashi typically just ignores them when they train unless he simply can’t, but today he’s been approaching them from behind and giving them tips</span> <span>that are supposed to help them any time he can. Mostly, his </span><em><span>tips</span></em><span> just feel like thinly veiled insults and Obito is so annoyed beyond belief that he can feel his already barely there patience evaporating.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All Kakashi’s been doing all day is basic forms and shuriken throwing, along with sharply correcting Rin and Obito’s supposed mistakes. Which is annoying, them having to work so hard where Kakashi can just stick to complaining and easy training he’s already perfected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Logically, Obito knows he’s likely going easy on himself because he’s missing an eye at the moment, but he’s too annoyed to really think about that).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Obito’s still not much closer to using the Flame Bullet jutsu that Kakashi had insisted that he learns, and all he is now is irritated, sweaty, and tired.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sees Kakashi walk up to Rin out of the corner of his eye, can see him telling her something and correcting the positions of her arms, but he just ignores the other boy. He just hopes that Kakashi isn’t going to bother him, and he tries to perform the damn jutsu he’s been trying to use </span>
  <em>
    <span>all damn day—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He coughs, something thick and painful racking through him, his throat feeling slick with something uncomfortably wet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He can hear Rin’s voice ask, and she immediately abandons her task so that she can walk up to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks up at her through watery and squinted eyes, still hacking wet coughs into the crook of his elbow. When he pulls back the navy blue cloth of his jacket is stained red, and when he instinctively swallows he can feel that thick, uncomfortable wetness again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re bleeding.” Rin says, sounding worried and professional all at the same time, and she gently grabs his wrists, pulling them down so she can look at his face properly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She frowns, “Is it your throat?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think so.” He croaks, and almost winces at the sound of his own voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin’s face falls even more but she reaches out, hands already glowing with green healing chakra, “I can heal it for now, but you should refrain from overdoing it in the future. Again.” She sighs, but her warm hands are hovering over his throat and he can already feel his throat become unclogged, the soothing feel of her chakra easing the pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not the first time she’s had to heal him because of a fire jutsu, and he had embarrassingly gone to the academy after a long training session with a sore throat and coughs that seemed to jar his whole body too many times to count. He almost forgot about that, being so long since he’s hurt himself in this way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito catches Kakashi’s eyes over Rin’s shoulder and he looks—</span>
  <em>
    <span>guilty.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His lone eye is dark and focused solely on them, shoulders so tense that Obito is certain that his spine is about to snap under the pressure. He looks as if he’s in deep thought, and Obito would be almost afraid of asking what’s wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should be fine now.” Rin says cheerfully with a small smile, oblivious to Kakashi’s intense stare from where he’s standing behind her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Should we call it day?” Minato-sensei’s voice chimes in from behind Obito and he jumps, yelping and whirling around on the blonde.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Minato chuckles, ruffling Obito’s hair, and Obito can hear Rin laughing quietly as well. He can’t stop the fact that he pouts, just a little bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But when Obito turns to Kakashi he still looks lost in thought, arms crossed firmly over his chest. It reminds him of when he had snapped at Minato earlier in the afternoon, how his eye had narrowed and his fingers clenched into the meat of his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had looked mad, and although that would be more normal about a week ago, Kakashi’s been acting so weird lately that when he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> acting almost normal again it still seemed strange. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito feels like he is missing a humongous piece of a puzzle, and Kakashi is the sole owner of it, and he seems intent on never sharing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can we have just one quick sparring match before we go home?” Kakashi asks eventually, his head tilting a bit to the side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato frowns, but before he can say anything Kakashi is continuing, “Just one, Obito and Rin against me. I haven’t been able to practice fighting moving targets with only one eye yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow, Obito feels as if that’s a lie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He still shouts, “Oi! You think you can take both of us with just one eye?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, stretches languidly like a cat that’s getting ready to pounce their prey, “Maa, I could close both eyes, if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito makes an unintelligible sound of anger that has Rin placing a hand on his shoulder, her laugh tinkling like bells, “Sure, why not? We might even win this time, Obito.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito grumbles, “Yeah, yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito can hear Minato sigh, but his sensei is smiling when he turns to him, “Fine. Just one round though, I know you two are tired.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He places a hand on both Rin and Obito’s heads, grinning brightly now. His sensei’s eyes catch on their youngest teammate and with the slightest bit of reluctance he reaches out and runs his hand through Kakashi’s silver strands as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy goes pink before he backs up, looking away pointedly, as if pretending he doesn’t care.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hurry up or we’ll be out here after the sun sets.” He says, looking at them with a hooded eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re such a jerk.” Obito huffs, but he can feel his lips twitching. It feels more like friendly teasing than any actual antagonization, and it wouldn’t feel like this even just a week ago. Obito goes a little light headed at the thought that somehow so much has changed in such a small amount of time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin stands next to him so that Kakashi is across from the both of them and Minato is standing between them, looking fondly exasperated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, one round. And then we’re getting dinner.” Minato says, somehow sounding stern and light at the same time, “You can use ninjutsu and taijutsu but try not to overdo it. I’m not fixing the training grounds again.” There’s a gentle smile on Minato-sensei’s face that only manages to make Obito shiver like there’s promises of retribution under the soft veneer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sensei.” Kakashi drawls, eye arching into a happy curve. Obito feels a strange sense of foreboding at that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato holds his hand out between them, “So on a count of three, you can start.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito shifts into a fighting stance and he can feel Rin shift next to him as well. But Kakashi is just standing there, arms crossed and stance lazy, and Obito doesn’t have the time to question it before he hears Minato reach one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito strikes first, as per usual, hardly even thinking before he kicks out with his right leg, aiming to sweep Kakashi’s legs. He doesn’t really expect it to work, it’s incredibly uncommon for Obito to land the first hit, but the fact he </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn‘t even see Kakashi move</span>
  </em>
  <span> makes him gasp, unable to hold in his surprise. Kakashi isn’t even in front of him anymore, and when he whirls around to try and find him there’s a kunai at his throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi tsks, “You really should think before you move, Obito.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito scowls, and he can see Rin standing uncertainty off to the side, eyes wide like she's shocked as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi removes the kunai and jumps back, raising his brow expectantly once he’s a few feet away. Obito draws a kunai himself and goes at him again, throwing his arm out, aiming for Kakashi’s bicep but the boy easily blocks it. Kakashi catches each attempted slice with his own kunai, and Obito hopes that Rin might be able to get a hit in while Kakashi’s focused on him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin throws a senbon, the needle aimed for Kakashi’s side, but Kakashi jumps out of the way with a lazy expression, prompting Rin to make a quiet frustrated noise. And then he’s moving in again, hitting Obito’s kunai hard enough that it flies out of his hand, twisting Obito’s arm in the process, and the weapon ends up sticking into the ground a couple of yards away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito doesn’t spare it a glance and throws another fist out, one Kakashi quickly knocks away, and then Kakashi actually hits him next, his fist punching him in the stomach hard enough that Obito thinks he’s going to throw up. He doesn’t, thankfully, but the relief is short lived when his legs are swept out from under him with a hard kick. The world jars for a moment as he crashes down onto his back, breath whooshing out of him with a great heave, but he’s fast enough to roll out of the way before he receives another kick to the gut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Rin attacks, jumping up from behind Kakashi and kicking high enough that her foot would have collided with Kakashi’s head if he hadn’t moved out of the way. Kakashi crouches out of the way of her kick, turns, and he’s moving as quick as a lightning strike, reaching up so he can grab Rin’s raised leg and throw her with enough force that Obito doesn’t have time to think before she’s crashing into him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her head collides hard with his, knocking into him so hard his ears ring and his eyes start to sting. But he shakes it off and hauls her up with him, tugging her sideways so she isn’t caught with a shuriken Kakashi had thrown. Obito is breathing hard, lungs already sore from training all day, but he steps in front of Rin and does the signs for a Fire Ball jutsu anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The jutsu comes to him easily, but Kakashi is already throwing up a Mud Wall before it can reach him. He curses but runs forward, using the smoke to throw out a clone that Kakashi would have a hard time seeing. The clone rounds the wall Kakashi had made and goes for a kick to the head, but Kakashi is catching the clone’s foot with little difficulty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>The real Obito skids behind Kakashi with a kunai, but before he can strike there’s </span><em><span>a hand</span></em> <em><span>reaching out of the ground and grabbing his ankle. </span></em><span>Obito nearly screams, but the air is caught in his throat when an electric shock is followed after, and he cries out. He stumbles back, barely able to stop himself from falling.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now that Kakashi is actually using ninjutsu, Obito can feel his chakra, a bit of it left in the air. Obito isn’t a sensor of any sort but he’s felt Kakashi's chakra before and it hadn’t ever felt like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi's chakra had always felt tightly controlled, like a dog behind a fence, contained but loud and barking and threatening even in its cage. Now, it feels more like he’s before a wolf and all that is between them is his flimsy clothes and how fast he can run before he’s ripped apart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The edges of it feel like lightning, buzzing and crackling with burning electricity. Obito can feel his heart give a heavy thump in his chest, shivering a bit at the memory of Kakashi’s lightning lacing through him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin is jumping in front of him as he tries to catch his breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s chakra covering her hands like they had been earlier, and she darts forward, her hand slicing towards Kakashi’s shoulder with purposeful precision. He dodges, and no matter how many times Rin tries to hit him he moves before she can land a hit, and Rin is obviously beginning to tire already, exhausted from training all day and then trying to fight Kakashi </span>
  <em>
    <span>who is somehow even harder to beat with just one eye.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito ignores the ache in his legs and arms and </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and rushes forward again, actually managing to grab Kakashi’s wrist before his fist can smash into Rin’s jaw, and he twists. Kakashi turns with the movement, turning his back to Rin and kicking out. Kakashi’s foot hooks behind Obito’s knee and tugs, but Obito keeps himself from falling. Instead, he uses the momentum to sling Kakashi to the ground, yanking on his wrist as he spins around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi does go down, but he grabs both Rin’s and Obito’s ankles and brings them down too. Kakashi flips forward and then there are kunai at both of their throats.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito wheezes and Rin makes an agreeing groan, and Obito thinks he’s going to feel the effects of this fight for the next </span>
  <em>
    <span>week.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I win.” Kakashi says, and he sounds </span>
  <em>
    <span>smug,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the bastard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi isn’t even breathing hard, doesn’t even look like he had been fighting at all. Obito would be complaining about that profusely if he could even manage to get a good breath in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well done.” Minato-sensei smiles, his hand coming down on Kakashi’s head. The smug expression immediately evaporates, replaced with a pink flush. Obito’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to have to tease the shit out of him for it later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you could go underground like that.” Minato continues, holding out a hand to Rin. She takes it gratefully, smiling at there sensei.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi holds out his hand to Obito, and his eye at the very least looks a little sympathetic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito pouts but he accepts the hand anyway, wincing when Kakashi helps pull him up. His whole body is throbbing, and he's so tired he would be willing to just flop right back down and take a nap in the grass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you shocked me.” He whines, stretching out his back and hearing it pop in several places. He can still feel a strange thrum of lightning under his skin, and would preferably never like to be on the other end of any of Kakashi's lightning jutsus ever again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn´t shock you that hard.” Kakashi says, his eye settling into that stupid arch of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito would be going for his throat right about now if he wasn’t so close to passing out on the spot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you could do that either.” Minato says, pale brows scrunching together, “And your chakra feels different, too. Much—heavier than I remember it.” Minato purses his lips, like he’s trying to come up with a proper explanation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi hums, dusting himself off with a sort of nonchalance that Obito doesn’t believe is genuine, “I train by myself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato frowns, but doesn’t seem like he wishes to press right now, “Anyway, you three must be hungry.” He says more cheerfully, “I’m sure Kushina has already started cooking dinner by now and you’re all welcome to join us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the face of his sensei’s bright expression he doesn’t even think of refusing, “I want Kushina-san’s food!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” Rin pipes up, “I’m starving.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As if on queue her stomach growls loudly and Obito can’t help his giggles when she flushes brightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi?” Minato questions, and the boy’s head snaps up from where his head had drooped, as if in deep thought again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Kakashi says, shifting on his feet seemingly before he can stop himself, “I suppose I’ll go as well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great!” Minato says happily, and then he’s rounding up all his students, smiling as he urges them forward.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito laughs, grabbing onto Rin’s hand and then Kakashi’s, “Race you there, sensei!” he calls, and then he’s tugging his teammates with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin is giggling and Kakashi has that fake put upon look on his face, but both of them run with him even as they can hear the indignant shouts of their sensei behind them.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minato’s regular existential worry and an appearance from Dai and Gai.</p><p> </p><p>Ahh this took longer than usual and I’m sorry! This chapter is also really short but I wanted to post something and there was a long period where I had no idea what to write so,,, hopefully the next chapter will be longer now that I think I have a direction again haha,,<br/>Regardless,, thank you so much for all the support in bookmarks, kudos, and comments! I am incredibly grateful and have had such a good time writing this fic because of the support ☺️✨<br/>(Also I think Dai might have died earlier than this but I’m including him for now and I’m gonna pretend he died later on)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Minato has to wonder, certainly not for the first time, how Kakashi seems to constantly surpass everyone around him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is a chuunin, Minato knows this, knows Kakashi made chuunin and the tender age of six years old, but he sees him fight both of his teammates with one eye closed, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>win, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and has to wonder how he hasn’t already been snatched up to become ANBU yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Not that Minato wants his twelve year old student in ANBU. In fact, Minato is quietly terrified at the thought of such a young boy, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> young student, surrounded by death and duty and masked faces).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone on Minato's team is talented, both Obito and Rin are brilliant in their own way, but Kakashi is a once in a lifetime sort of genius and talent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But even Minato knows that even just the other day Kakashi had not fought like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It makes something fizzle in his chest, something like the ever familiar worry he’s become acquainted with in the last few days niggle at the back of his mind, and Minato falls back behind his team as they race to his house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He needs to think.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Specifically about Kakashi, who has only briefly left his mind for just a few minutes at a time over the past three days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi, who had not had a single ounce of trouble fighting both of his teammates at once even if he was supposedly handicapped. Kakashi had seemed to have no problems with his depth perception, nor had he hesitated even once. He had come at his teammates with ease and with a sort of experience </span>
  <em>
    <span>he shouldn't have had. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi had paused only to allow them to breathe and Minato knows now that he could have dealt with them even quicker if he had truly wanted to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though Rin and Obito are also chuunin, and would typically be able to hold off Kakashi long enough for it to be considered a fair match at least, what had happened today had felt somehow—</span>
  <em>
    <span>assessing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi had been watching his teammates, lone grey eye sharp and intelligent, following their every movement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi might as well have slipped into the role of sensei for the day, ordering Obito and Rin to learn jutsus he had wanted them to know, going as far as to correct them and instruct them. Kakashi had never done that before, typically seeming more content in taking a passive role and ignoring them when they were training separately like they were today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kakashi had actually been </span>
  <em>
    <span>teaching, </span>
  </em>
  <span>like he had done it before. Minato has never seen Kakashi portray the amount of surprising patience he had shown today, especially not when it came to people and what he considered </span>
  <em>
    <span>incompetence. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi had never had any sort of leniency when it came to other people and abilities he thought they should already be adept in. But today he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>taught </span>
  </em>
  <span>his teammates and he had done it without raising his voice or calling them names, nor even seeming to get so much as a little angry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato can’t help but feel discomfited, and ridiculously confused in the face of a child’s behavior. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But they are clan now—family, </span>
  <em>
    <span>pack, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and having that extra connection to Kakashi, that extra connection that Kakashi apparently </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants, </span>
  </em>
  <span>makes him feel even more uneasy, more like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>to do something. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, he would have never left the situation completely alone, but Kakashi has already exhibited some form of trust in him—in his team, and Minato can’t simply let things continue like this when he knows it feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Minato!” The sudden voice, loud and boisterous, startles Minato out of his thoughts at the same time as strong, tan arms are wrapping tightly around his middle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you well, friend?” The booming voice of Maito Dai shouts in his ear as he shakes him vigorously, lifting Minato high enough that his toes only skim the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm quite fine, thank you.” He wheezes, sounding a little dazed. Dai puts him down but the beaming smile doesn't leave his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Minato-sensei.” Gai says from behind his father, sounding no less excited. He’s carrying a tray of food in his hands, Minato notices, holding it with surprisingly gentle hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato does not know Dai very well, despite what his greeting would suggest, but Minato has never been particularly bothered by the man. He’s kind and optimistic, smarter and stronger than people give him credit for, and also an excellent father and man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato is able to muster up a genuine smile for the pair in front of him despite his previous melancholy thoughts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just saw your team pass by, a lovely group might I add! I am confident in your abilities as a sensei and the fruit of your’s and your team’s labour is ever apparent!” Dai says, each word full of a sort of enthusiasm even Minato would find difficult to achieve, “And I was wondering if perhaps we could share a meal together!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is where Dai quiets down a bit more, tone taking on something that plays between serious and friendly, “I have heard from Gai that Kakashi seems unwell, and perhaps he could use some cheering up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato’s smile feels small and soft on his face, and he’s unable to rid his chest of the warmth he can feel spread through him at the thought of people caring about his young student as much as he does, “I don't think Kakashi and the others will mind if you two join us. Kushina always cooks a little more than necessary anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excellent!” Dai cheers, pumping his fist in the air, Gai mimicking him immediately after.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their relationship has always been rather endearing, Minato can’t help but to admit. Seeing them makes him want his own son sometimes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(A small part whispers he might as well already have three children at this point).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We made miso soup with eggplant!” Gai supplies helpfully, thrusting the covered bowl into Minato's face and forcing him to look at it, “I have heard it is my rival’s favorite!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's very kind of you.” Minato chuckles, and Gai looks satisfied with the answer, stepping away and smiling a blindingly bright flash of white teeth with a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato smiles, “The kids are gonna get there way before us if we don't hurry up.” Minato says, not completely meaning it, only suggesting that they should make it towards his and Kushina’s apartment if they wish to get there on time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai and Dai share a meaningful look, one that Minato is not completely privy to, and they shout in unison, “If we can not make it there before Minato-sensei and his team, then we must run 200 laps around the village.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then they’re gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato puts his face in his hands, and has to wonder what his life has come to.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gai and Dai are their typical selves, and Rin finally gets her Conversation with Kakashi even if it’s mostly him just Not Having A Good Time.</p><p> </p><p>Ahhh this is the longest I’ve ever gonna without posting a new chapter!! I’m sorry I just got busy with real life stuff and I’ve been in a weird mood lately but I finally finished a passable chapter! I’m sorry for the delay! But thank you for all of the continued support even if I haven’t been replying to comments lately I do appreciate them I just never know how to respond haha,,,, just thank you all for being so nice and patient!! ✨</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kakashi notices that Minato drops off nearly immediately once they’ve started running, and Kakashi feels like they’ve just given him a perfect opportunity to stew over everything that’s just happened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a part of Kakashi that just wants to tell Minato-sensei the truth already, if only to keep him from worrying so much. And then there’s a part of him that thinks that is a distinctly horrible idea and will likely end in disaster.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Also, Kakashi doesn’t want to be sent to T&amp;I, and claiming he is from the future seems to be a sure fire way to get there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s probably better to let Minato come to his own conclusions, at least for now. No matter how guilty it makes him feel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>And he hasn’t been exactly subtle, perhaps because he </span><em><span>wants</span></em> <em><span>them </span></em><span>to start the conversation first so he doesn’t have to, perhaps because the way he was the first time obviously didn’t really work out, so keeping the things the same likely isn’t doing him any favors. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, as Kakashi has previously stated, Conversations are hard and if he can shovel off all of the work onto someone else—well, he’s been doing that for his whole life already. Old habits die hard and all that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Either way, he is surrounded by talented Shinobi and Kunoichi who, whether he likes it or not, know him better than anyone else does right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It is both terrifying and a relief at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito begins to slow down, squeezing Kakashi’s and Rin’s hands where he’s still holding them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He isn’t even trying, is he?” He grumbles, pouting and craning his neck to look behind them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sensei could already be there, you know.” Rin says, one of her hands coming up to rub absently at her chin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito throws his head back with an annoyed groan, his mouth opening, likely so he can complain, when two green blurs rush past them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My rival!” One of them shouts, waving frantically but in no way slowing down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Minato’s team!” The other one calls, voice deeper and form larger than the first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It must be Gai and his father.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obito squawks in shock as Rin giggles, waving back even if they’re already so far away they wouldn’t be able to see her. Kakashi waves lazily as well, already rather used to excitable men in green yelling at him and running past him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After standing there for a few moments, watching the green blurs shrink in the distance, they hear, “They were rather insistent on racing as well.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato chuckles breathily as he walks up behind them, rubbing at the back of his neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are they eating with us as well?” Rin says, turning toward their sensei without letting go of Obito’s hand. The boy must notice if the red flush over his cheeks is any indicator.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes. They even cooked for Kakashi.” He smiles, looking incredibly pleased at that fact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’d they make?” Obito bounces on his heels, palpably excited at the thought of more food. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miso soup with eggplant.” Minato smiles, turning to Kakashi, “It’s one of your favorites?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He mumbles and, inexplicably, feels his face heat up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never told me that.” Obito pouts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never asked.” Kakashi shoots back, stubbornly avoiding everyone’s gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Little flashes of memories flit through Kakashi’s mind, of Gai cooking his favorite dishes and insisting that he ate them. He remembers Gai coming to his apartment every day for a month straight after Obito’s death, warm food in tow each time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He likely wouldn’t have eaten had it not been for Gai, likely would have withered away a long time ago without him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Especially after Minato’s and Kushina’s death, when he felt like all he knew how to do was fail the people he loved. He threw himself into ANBU, as if it was all that he had, even if he could see that sad glint in Gai’s eyes that he had tried to hide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Gai had been there to pick up the pieces when he needed to, putting shards of glass back together even when they didn’t fit properly anymore, each piece broken and weathered by time, as if they had been shattered too many times.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gai had put him back together again and again even if Kakashi had never asked him to, and Gai had never once complained.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—I wasn’t actually annoyed or anything like that, Kakashi.” He can hear Obito’s nervous voice speak up from beside him, cutting through the fog that had started to fill his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He blinks, pulling himself forcefully out of the memories he had begun to drown in. Minato’s brow is pinched when Kakashi looks up, and Obito is fidgeting anxiously next to him, his hand squeezing Kakashi’s in increments, as if it’s a tick he’s doing absently. Rin’s eyes are wide, and she looks akin to a sad puppy when she looks at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine.” He says and immediately clears his throat when his voice sounds too thin, “It—it wasn’t you. Don’t worry about it.” He waves his free hand around nonchalantly, but when he looks at his team’s faces he gets the distinct feeling that every time he says </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t worry </span>
  </em>
  <span>they only seem to worry even more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—if you’re sure.” Obito says quietly, and then they fall into stifling silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi is going to tear his hair out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It lasts for about ten seconds before Minato claps his hands together, laughing in a way that makes it obvious he’s trying not to sound awkward but inevitably does, “Okay, well, Kushina is likely waiting for us so we should hurry up before they eat without us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi nods stiffly, but the three of them stay hand in hand, Minato walking silently behind them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_______</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take long for them to reach Minato and Kushina’s apartment, and Kakashi can hear yelling before they even make it all the way up the stairs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound of loud voices mix with raucous laughter, and Kakashi smiles a little under his mask at the sound of it. Dai and Kushina, unsurprisingly, seem to be getting along rather well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though, Kakashi can’t help but feel slightly intimidated at the thought of the sheer noise and energy that can occupy a space that includes Kushina, Gai, Dai, and soon Obito as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi imagines what could happen if he threw Naruto and Lee into the mix and has to repress a shiver at the thought, firmly pushing that train of thought away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi can also smell food, and he can hear the sound of Rin and Obito’s stomachs growling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I really hope nothing is broken in there.” Minato sighs, but he sounds far too fond to actually convince anyone he’d truly be bothered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Mianto opens the apartment door the noise is only amplified, and all four of them pause at the sight that greets them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maito Dai is upside down doing push-ups with Kusina and Gai sitting on his feet. Gai is seated in Kushina’s lap, loudly cheering on his father as Kushina’s laughter rings joyously through the apartment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do one hand!” Gai cries, pumping his fist in the air.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can do!” Dai answers with the same sincere enthusiasm that Gai shows in everything that he does, easily shifting so one arm is behind his back as he continues to lift himself up and down with a single hand, holding the weight of both Kushina and his son on his feet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minato is openly gaping, Rin looks like she’s trying to hold in her laughter, and Obito looks like he would want nothing more than to join in on the fun too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Minato-sensei and his young students!” Dai shouts, noticing them entering the living room and greeting them with a blinding smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My rival and his team!” Gai greets them as well, waving excitedly from where he’s perched on Kushina’s lap, “We were just passing the time until your arrival!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina is too busy laughing to properly say hello, but she does wave at them with a hand that jostles with her laughter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One of you can join as well! And if I fall then I will do five hundred sit ups before morning!” Dai says encouragingly, and Kakashi shoves Obito forward, practically able to feel his palpable eagerness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kushina holds out her hand, pulling Obito into her lap as well, and Minato looks like he wants to intervene without ruining their fun but can’t seem to figure out how to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’ll be fine.” Kakashi reassures him with a tone of voice that probably isn’t reassuring at all, pats the other man on the back, and makes his way to the kitchen. He might as well fix the table while they’re all playing around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few moments alone also sounds really nice right about now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All of the food is still warm, and everything smells just as good as Kakashi remembers. Kushina was always a good cook, and even if Kakashi usually had to be quite literally dragged to dinners with them he always loved her cooking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He fixes plates for everyone, scooping the food out into plates and bowls and placing them around the dining table along with cutlery and napkins. The voices in the living room stay in the back of his head, and the sound of them is somehow comforting, the unmistakable sounds of life ringing in his ears and unignorable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hears soft footsteps enter the dining room despite the noise, and knows it's Rin even if he doesn’t look up at her. He needlessly straightens a pair of chopsticks in front of him only so it gives him a reason not to meet her gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” She asks simply, her soft voice holding something hard and determined under it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah, yet another </span>
  <em>
    <span>Conversation.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine.” He answers instantly, eyes trailing up to meet the sincere brown of his teammate’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you lying?” Rin asks, and manages to sound like a disappointed mother even if she isn’t so much as a teenager yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s heart beats a staccato beat in his chest even if his face is carefully blank.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How can you tell?” Kakashi says, tone lilting and playful even when he feels anything but.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin’s lips tug into a frown, and something in Kakashi’s stomach clenches painfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She takes a deep breath, “Kakashi, I know you better than that.” She bites her lip and when she straightens herself there’s steel in her posture and her face, “And I know that you don’t always let us in but—but we care about you. All of us, more than you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi’s breath catches violently in his lungs and he doesn’t utter a single sound, doesn’t even breathe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sucks in another breath, “And I just want you to trust us.” She walks forward slowly, as if she’s approaching a wild animal. Something in Kakashi feels like one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can tell something is wrong, all of us can.” She reaches out tentatively, her fingers wrapping around his elbows and squeezing reassuringly, “I know that you’re sad, and I know something happened that you’re not telling us, and I know that you’re acting differently. And—I just want you to tell me the truth.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her gaze is unwavering when she meets his, “Don’t try to hide your hurt, I’m always watching, Kakashi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi swallows, turning his head to the side so that he doesn’t have to look at her. He could tell her right now if he truly wanted to, but what would he tell her? That he’s from the future? That he killed her? That he killed Obito and Minato and Kushina, that he let down anyone who ever truly mattered?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t even know where to begin with that, or how he’s supposed to explain it without being locked up or sent to T&amp;I. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And that doesn't even begin to cover how he’s going to explain the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sharingan—</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t.” He says quietly, and his throat clicks around the sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—I’ll tell you.” His breath shudders, and he hopes that he’s not lying to her, “I—I just can’t right now. Rin—I’m sorry—I—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay.” She says, voice soothing, “Kakashi, it’s okay. I’ll listen when you can, though, okay? We all will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looks at her, at her soft face and her bright eyes, and he nods silently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiles, small and kind and Kakashi wants to cry in the face of it. He stubbornly holds back the tears and squeezes her hand that’s still wrapped around his elbow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A loud crash from the living room causes both of them to jump, Rin squeaking in surprise as she jerks back. The noise is followed soon after by laughter and the sound of Minato fretting over what is likely a pile of four ninja piled on the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rin looks at him with wide eyes before she bursts into laughter, and Kakashi can’t help but join her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something jostles loose in his chest and he feels lighter, the sounds of laughter filling his ears.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you enjoyed! And maybe consider leaving a Kudos or comment 🥺👉👈</p></blockquote></div></div>
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